208 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XX. 



arrangement which, however, undoubtedly adds to the fresh look of the whole. 

 It rejoices in a somewhat stiff though ingenious title-page, a rather artistic 

 reverse side to the covers, a dedication-page backed by quite a long list of 

 authorities consulted and a page with the quotation " To the solid ground of 

 Nature trusts the Mind that builds for eye." There is list of Contents, a 

 Foreword and an Introduction. All this plus the three Chapters into which 

 the real book is divided occupy 158 half -pages of large clear print. The paper 

 is good and the binding also. 



The illustrations are, on the whole, good though some of them are somewhat 

 rough and stiff. Many of them are unnecessarily repeated. They are placed 

 so as to represent the insects alluded to on the page on which they are depicted 

 and are easily recognisable as well-known types. The author deals only with 

 types of " Intruders " and abstains from mentioning scientific names. He does 

 this on purpose in the interests of " popularity." We take this to be a 

 mistake. It would have been easy to give names without in the least detract- 

 ing from the interest of the book for the lay reader, while it would have 

 greatly added to its value for the scientifically inclined individual. As it is, 

 the insects alluded to represent nothing definite to either the one or the 

 other except known by sight. 



We have perused the book more than once. We have given it to friends to 

 read so as to have the opinions of people acquainted with insects only a* 

 insects ; that is in the popular way, not scientifically. They pronounced it to 

 be pleasant chatty reading well fitted to while away an idle hour. Perhaps it 

 is, but personally we think the grammar often faulty, the style artificial and 

 the humour decidedly forced. In a vague way it reminds one of the writings 

 of EHA, as if the author had tried to imitate him. But what a difference ! 

 The allusions to insects as " little chaps " and " beggars " and " he " gets 

 monotonous and jars. We also wish the author had abstained from intro- 

 ducing " The Girl J ' who gets upon our nerves and comes as a shock each time 

 she is mentioned. 



On page 44 he refers to a Megachile — departing from his intention of avoid- 

 ing scientific terms — which makes mud nests and provisions them with pollen. 

 We wish he could have told us more about the insect, for a Leaf-cutter bee that 

 builds free mud cells for itself like an Odynerus or Eumenes wasp is decidedly 

 interesting. We know Megachile bees will take possession of the mud cells of 

 other wasps and make use of them, sometimes lining them with leaf pieces : 

 but we were ignorant of their constructing such things independently. In 

 fact we always considered that the Hymenopter that built a mud nest for its 

 eggs in India could not and must necessarily be a wasp and not a bee, and this 

 notwithstanding the example of Chalicodoma described by Fabre. Perhaps 

 the Megachile alluded to lines natural cavities, tubular holes and so on with 

 mud — that would be not quite so surprising for other Apklm do that. 



What are " Fossorial parasitic Wasps " mentioned on page 4fe '? From the 

 habit of storing spiders the author evidently means Fossorial Wasps ; none of 



