? 
1872.1 189 
the Swedish fauna assimilates itself in a marked manner to that of the British 
Islands. Herr Wallengren describes 50 Swedish species, the precise number 
enumerated in the ‘ Catalogue of British Neuwroptera’ by Mr. McLachlan. And the 
individual specific discrepancies are likely to disappear, when the fauna of both 
countries shall become better known. Sweden, however, claims a Myrmeleon, 
which we scarcely dare to hope for as a British genus, though the species in ques- 
tion, no doubt the true Linnean formicarius, has a wide northern range, even up to 
55° in Siberia; the species commonly accepted under this name being deci- 
dedly more southern in its habits. The work is printed entirely in the Swedish 
language, but the technical part of it, at any rate, can be overcome by the purchase 
of a grammar and dictionary, and, having these, by a little application. Some 
Swedish Naturalists have latterly printed their works in English; but, whilst 
acknowledging the boon, we are not quite sure whether they do not thereby render 
their labours less useful to their own countrymen,—for educational works, such as 
local faunistic monographs must ever be, are matters of paramount importance. 
HYMENOPTERA SCANDINAVIA, auctore C. G. THomson; Tom. i (Tenthredo et 
Sirex, Lin.). Lunde, 1871, 8vo., pp. 1-342. . 
We have here another contribution to entomological literature by one of the 
band of hard-working Swedish entomologists. Herr Thomson, so long known as 
a Coleopterist, has again turned his attention more exclusively to Hymenoptera, and 
purposes a monographic revision of the Swedish species, of which this (comprising 
the saw-flies) is the first part. The work is marked by so much originality, and 
in so high a degree revolutionizes pre-existing arrangements, both as to species and 
sequence, that we must be pardoned for not yet being able to express a decided 
opinion on many of its most striking features. Without doubt, however, the pro- 
minence given to structural characters, such as sculpture, &c., in the specific 
diagnoses, is a vast improvement upon older works. So is also the removal of the 
Doleri to close connection with the Allanti and allies, instead of retaining them in 
the neighbourhood of the Emphyti, &e., which they resemble only by the more 
artificial characters of alar cell-structure. Upon one point we confess to being 
dissatisfied. Herr Thomson has, in scarcely any one case, said even a word con- 
cerning the larve; and in this the works of Hartig, Zaddach, and Snellen Van 
Vollenhoyen (who is not even mentioned), must still take precedence over his. The 
book is printed almost entirely in Latin; the few notes in the vernacular being 
chiefly of local interest. 
EnromotocicaL Society oF Lonpon, 20th November, 187].—A. R. WALLACE, 
Esq., F.Z.S., President, in the chair. 
The following gentlemen were balloted for and elected :—C. V. Riley, Hsq., 
State Entomologist for Missouri, U.S., as Foreign Member; Lieut. B. Lowsley, 
and F. Raine, Esq., as Ordinary Members; and W. H. Miskin, Esq., of Brisbane, 
as a Subscriber. 
With reference to the occurrence of Formica herculeana in the crop of Picus 
martius, said to have been shot near Oxford (as stated at the last meeting by Pro- 
fessor Westwood), Mr. Dunning remarked that he had ascertained that examples of 
this bird, presumably of Norwegian origin, were exposed for sale in Leadenhall 
Market, at the same time as the specimen was said to have occurred at Oxford. 
Mr. E. Sheppard considered it very singular that the only supposed British examples 
of the Ant should be found in the crop of a bird reputed donbtfully British. Mr. 
