112 THE entomologist's RECORD. 



of a large number of specialists in the different branches of natural 

 science whose services are at the disposal of all lieldworkers for advice 

 and identification of specimens. Already a large numbec of species 

 have been added to the county lists, and a smaller but still satisfactory 

 number have been described as new to science. 



Exhibition and Notes on some doubtful Tortrices and Tinea. — 

 Mr. F. N. Pierce showed series of Catoptria aeimdana, C. trijioliana, 

 and from the late S. Steven's collection a series of reputed C. decolo- 

 rana : also a specimen of EupnecUia vianniana, which, from an exam- 

 ination of the genitalia, he had found to be a dwarfed Anjyrolepia 

 niicana. Mr. Pierce also gave some critical notes on Ephestia elntella 

 and K. paRsuleUa. He was followed by Mr. W. Mansbridge, who 

 exhibited the latter species in illustration of his remarks. 



Abnormal females of P. similis. — Mr. S. P. Doudney had a long 

 series of Portheda siniilis from wild larv^ taken on the same hedgerow 

 at Huyton, near Liverpool, in which many of the females had tail- 

 tufts brown instead of yellow, except for a slight admixture of yellow 

 hairs ; all the males were normal. 



:e^EVIEWS AND NOTICES OF BOOKS. 



" The Ants of the Baltic Amber," by William Morton Wheeler, 

 Ph.D., Professor of Economic Entomology, Harvard University. 

 [Schrift. Phys-okonom. Gesell. Konigs, 55, 1-142, 66 Tfs. (1914)] . 



Through the kindness of Father Schmitz, of Sittard, Holland, I 

 have been able to obtain a copy of my friend Professor Wheeler's 

 remarkable work on the ants of the Baltic Amber. As the eminent 

 author was unable to send out any reprints of his paper on account of 

 the war, and as my copy is probably the only one in this country, or 

 likely to be until after the war is over, it is perhaps desirable to review 

 in some detail this most important contribution to the knowledge of 

 fossil insects. I have also endeavoured to summarise most of Wheeler's 

 masterly deductions and conclusions. This work is of especial interest 

 to me, as I have recently made a preliminary examination of all the 

 fossil ants in the British Museum from the Isle of Wight lime-stone, 

 the age of this being the same, or perhaps a little later, than that of 

 the Baltic Amber. 



In 1868 Mayr published a very " thorough and comprehensive 

 masterpiece " on the material at his disposal of the Baltic Amber ants 

 — he studied 1461 specimens, describing 49 species, referable to 23 

 genera. Though many more specimens have been acquired, very little 

 attention has been devoted to the amber ants since Mayr's paper. In 

 1875 Er. Andre added two species, and in 1905 Emery added one 

 genus and species, bringing the list up to 24 genera and 52 species. 



Wheeler has personally examined no less than 9627 amber ants, 

 and he describes 21 new genera and 40 new species. 



Taking into consideration a few necessary changes in the definition 

 of genera according to modern ideas, the list now stands at 43 genera 

 and 92 species, which belong to four out of the five subfaiBilies to 

 which all ants are now assigned, as follows : — 



Subfamily. Genera. 



Ponerinae ... 8 



Myrwn-inae ... 15 



