REVIEWS. 49 



of this insect we believe have been taken so far in the southeastern 

 counties. At anj' rate Mr. Barrett ought to work the specimen up 

 thoroughly so that no doubt exists (1) as to its species, (2) as to whether 

 it is a purely British form of the species to which it belongs. — En.] 



PoLiA CHI IN Devonshire. — Referring to the notes on the southern 

 range of Folia chi in Britain (antea, xvii., pp. 295 and 335) , I may say that 

 I have found it in plenty, year after year, on the South Devon coast. 

 It comes freely to sugar there, contrary to its habit here, where, 

 although still more abundant, it is quite exceptional to see one at sugar. 

 The South Devon specimens seem to be all of the ordinary very pale 

 form. — George T. Porritt, F.L.S., Huddersfield. January 5th, 1906. 



Habits of Euchelia jacob^^. — I note Mr. Burrows comment 

 upon my question re Euchelia Jacobaeae (antea, p. 335). He 

 evidently misunderstands. E. jacobaeae is a coast insect in our two 

 counties, and has never been taken inland. In fact, I am almost 

 certain that there was no previous record of its capture in Durham, 

 although it is so abundant in the localities I have indicated in 

 Northumberland. A correspondent points out that a similar question 

 appears in the Entomologist, p. 237. Lastly, Mr. Burrows states that the 

 insect is dull and lethargic. Is that so ? My impression of capturing 

 it on the wing at Seaton Sluice in 1902, and at Strensall, York, was 

 that it is an active species on the wing, at least, in the sun. Also Mr. 

 W. S. Gilles, in his note in The Entowoloc/ist, states that they were 

 flying around light — scarcely where lethargic and heavy insects are 

 wont to resort. — J. W. H. Harrison, B.Sc, F.E.S., The Avenue, 

 Birtley R.S.O., Durham. December 19th, 1906. 



Ji:iEYIEWS AND NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



Questionable Entomology. — Two popularly written books have 

 been sent us for review\ The first is Mr. H. W. Shepheard-Walwyn's 

 Nature's Nursery.-'- This divides into two parts, (1) The photographic 

 illustrations, excellently taken and well reproduced ; (2) The letter- 

 press, weak, rambling and inaccurate. It takes some three pages to 

 state that Cerura vinula glues her eggs for tidiness and precision, 

 followed by the amazing statement that " the cares of motherhood are 

 considerably lessened in the case of the little Blue butterfly, who 

 tosses her eggs about everywhere as if she were sowing a field .... 

 however, such parents as the Blue butterfly are distinctly in the 

 minority, so we will let them pass " (p. 69). The processes of 

 moulting, expansion of an insect's wing, fluid movements in wing [one 

 note stating that " the veins, through which the fluid is rushing, can 

 be plainly distinguished as they stand up conspicuous above the 

 surface of the Aving " (p. 118)] , etc., all present many statements that 

 may be accurate, but do not tally with our own observations. It is a 

 great pity, as the actual facts are readily accessible in the best text-books. 

 This book is apparently written for good-sized children, of whose average 

 capacity Mr. Walwyn can have little practical knowledge. False 

 impressions picked up by intelligent children often stick to them as 

 long as they live. There appears to be little difference between the 

 story held up to ridicule on p. 68, and much of the rest of the letter- 

 press. The second book, Romance of Insect Lifei, by Edward Selous, 



* London: Hutchinson and Co., Paternoster Row. 



t London : Seeley and Co., Ltd. 38, Great Russell Street, E.C. 



