BRITISH DRAGONFLIES. 63 



appendix to a faunistic Avork. The second chapter is devoted to the 

 life-history, ihustrated by several interesting figures, showing,various 

 forms of dragonfly ova, and the curious method of copulation. Then 

 follows an account of the classification of the heterogeneous groups 

 included under the name Neuroptera ; and the author follows Brauer, 

 Packard and others, in elevating Odonata to ordinal rank. He 

 divides them into two groups or " superfamilies," the Anisopterides, 

 including the Lihellulidae and Aeschnidae, and the Zxjgopterides, 

 containing the Af/rionidae. In two important chapters the author 

 describes in detail the nymph and the imago and offers tentative 

 dichotomic tables for the determination of the British forms ; this 

 part is fully illustrated and the numerous figures of structural detail 

 will be of great value to the student. Then comes an account of the 

 genera and species in detail, and the information under each heading is 

 classified to enable the reader to find without difficulty any point 

 which he may be seeking. Under Sympetnnn Jiaveolum, Linn., for 

 instance, we find — Synonymy, Linne's original description, size, male 

 imago, female imago, immature colouring, variation, early stages, 

 oviposition, egg, data, habits, migration, and distribution within the 

 British Isles. We notice, however, that no account is given of the 

 foreign distribution ; this would greatly add to the understanding of 

 the relations of the various species inter se svith. regard to the European 

 fauna. The author, after apparent hesitation, regards Sym2)etrimi 

 striolatiim, Charp., and ;S'. vuhjatiim, Linn., as distinct, the latter not 

 being regarded as British. 



We congratulate the author upon his adherence to the strict rule 

 of priority; he does not shirk from changing familiar names, e.f/., Anax 

 imperator, Leach, for A. formosus, Lind. ; Aeschna caendca, Strom., for 

 A. horealis, Zett. ; A. isosceles, Mlill., for A. rufescens, Lind. ; Lestes 

 dnjas, W. F. Kirby, for L. nympha, Selys ; Pyrrhosoma nymphnla, 

 Sulz., for P. mininn, Harr., though he does not follow W. F. Kirby in 

 adopting Cocnayrion for Ayrion. 



The special part is followed by a chapter on breeding the nymph, 

 full of interest, in which the author gives us the result of his experi- 

 ence, as also in the practical chapter dealing with the preparation of 

 dragonflies for the cabinet, a task which has deterred several students 

 from attempting to make collections, owing to the unsatisfactory 

 condition into which specimens usually deteriorate. 



The plates are excellent, as indeed would be expected, for Mr. 

 Lucas is his own artist, and his talent in illustrating entomological 

 subjects has long been familiar to all. We might suggest that in the 

 figure of Isclmura eleyans (Plate xxiv), the abdominal blue annulus is 

 scarcely distinct enough. When this insect is feebly flying to and fro 

 among the reeds that fringe the small ponds which it loves to haunt, 

 it is the bright blue ring which shows up the insect before it can be 

 properly distinguished among the dark shaded rushes; " and in such 

 situations, unless sought for," Mr. Lucas remarks himself, "it is not 

 easily detected, its coloration being not conspicuous; " the unfortunate 

 blue ring, however, often betrays its whereabouts. 



The work is well printed on good paper, the binding is a little too 

 dark for khaki, and it is the excellence of the " get up " which has 

 doubtless raised the price, a thing which we all deplore. 



Mr. Luca;? is to be congratulated on the production of so complete 



