REVIEW. 573 



references, a familiar feature in most books on insects, nor is much atten- 

 tion paid to synonymy. There is an excellent index at the end of each 

 volume and after each family a list of species, etc., with a reference to the 

 original description. The plates also aim at conciseness amd do not 

 profess to be artistically arranged ; the figures are placed as close together 

 as possible, in most instances half the upper and half the underside being 

 depicted ; at the head of each plate is given the name of the genus dealt 

 with and under each figure the name of the form represented. The figures 

 are excellent and compare most favourably with those to be found in the 

 most expensive works on natural history. Owing to the rapidity of piiblica- 

 tion several errors have crept in, but these are corrected from time to 

 time. The work is being published in German and translated into English 

 and French : the English translation might perhaps have been better done, 

 as in some cases the meaning is rather obscure. 



Mabille's treatment of the Paleearctic Mesperiidce by means of keys to 

 the species in each genus is admirable ; one could have wished that the 

 same method had been adopted for such difiicult genera as Lyccena, Erebia, 

 Ar^ynnis, Melitaea and Parnassius. Jordan's section on the In do- Australian 

 Papilios is excellent and brings up to date Rothschild and Jordan's mono- 

 graph on the Papilios of the old world. 



Fruhstorfer has split up many of our Indian species into races. Though 

 no doubt he is justified in this course, yet it would have been more con- 

 vincing, if he had mentioned the extent of the material on which he had 

 based his deductions ; in some cases it would almost appear as if he had 

 not even seen the form to which he has assigned a name. He describes 

 the genitalia of many species and has used this feature to some extent as 

 a basis for classification ; by this means he has cleared up several doubtful 

 points, which have always puzzled entomologists. 



It may safely be said that the aims of the author have been fully attain- 

 ed. Having regard to the conditions set forth it is difficult to say how 

 the work could be improved on ; its price is most reasonable and within 

 the means of nearly every collector. We wish it the success that it 

 deserves. 



Vol. II. — Pal^apvCtic Bombyces and Sphinges. Vol. X. — Indo-Austka- 



LIAN BOBIBYCES AND SPHINGES. VoL. XI. InDO-AuSTKALIAN 



NOCTUIFOKM PhAL^N.E. 



Of these volumes only part of Volumes X and XI have been received, but 

 Vol. II is complete in itself both as regards text and plates. This latter 

 volume comprises the Paltearctic Bombyces and Sphinges, of which the 

 former are defined as " all the Heterocera which do not belong to the 

 Sphinges Noctuids, Geometrids and Micros," so that it is perhaps unfor- 

 tunate that the first family described here called the Zygcenidcs should 

 really belong to the Microlepidoptera, and the same criticism will apply to 

 the FsychidcB, Cossidcs (which should be the twenty-sixth family cited, and 

 not the twenty -fifth, as stated) and the JEgeriidce. The term "Bombyces," 

 as indicating any natural group of moths, is obsolete and only reminiscent 

 of the worst traditions of the nineteenth century, and the sooner its use is 

 abandoned, the better. In the present case, for example, the Zygceyddce 

 are placed in close proximity to the Syntomidcs, Avith which they have 

 nothing in common except a slight superficial resemblance ; to the expert 

 such a method of arrangement matters little, but the amateur is likely to 

 conclude that proximity in arrangement indicates real affinity, an idea 

 which he will have to unlearn later and perhaps with difficulty. 



The sections on separate families are written by various authors and are 

 followed by an alphabetical list of species with references to the original 



