67 



EECENT LITERATUKE. 



Beetles, Butterflies, Moths and other Insects ; a brief Introduction to their 

 Collection and Preservation. By A. W. Kappel, F.Z.S., F.E.S., 

 Assistant Librarian Linnean Society, and W. Egmont Kirby. 

 With 12 coloured plates ; and woodcuts. London : Cassell & Co., 

 1892. Sm. 4to, pp. 182. 



The little book before us, by two authors whose names we have 

 not previously noticed, makes no scientific pretensions, but is, as the 

 authors tell us, intended as an introductory book for young people in 

 the country who take an interest in the natural objects with which 

 they are surrounded. A considerable number of the more interesting 

 British species of all Orders (with now and then an occasional conti- 

 nental species of special interest) are recognisably and sometimes 

 excellently represented on the plates, which appear to us to be 

 rather better than the average of those commonly met with in 

 cheap elementary works of this kind. The letterpress is not confined 

 to the species figured, but is especially full as regards the British 

 butterflies, most of which are described, except a few of the rarer and 

 less conspicuous species. Of course more space is given to the 

 Coleoptera and Lepidoptera than to the less conspicuous and there- 

 fore less attractive Orders ; but this is always the case in works 

 intended to have a circulation among those who are not making a 

 special study of Entomology. The remaining Orders, however, have 

 not been neglected, and the book probably contains nearly as much 

 information about them as its readers are likely to require or expect 

 as a commencement. We wish this first venture of the authors every 

 success. It seems well adapted either for a first book of country 

 Entomology, or as a cheap and attractive gift-book for young people 

 with a taste for Natural History. 



Catalogue of Eastern and Australian LejndojJtera-Heterocera in the 

 Collection of the Oxford University Museum. By Col, C. Swinhoe, 

 F.Z.S., &c. Part I. Sphiuges and Bombyces. With eight 

 coloured plates. Oxford, 1892. Pp. viii, 324. 



The entomological collection of the Oxford Museum is probably 

 the second public one in the kingdom, being only surpassed in extent 

 and value by that of the British Museum ; and Col. Swinhoe has done 

 good service by publishing a work in which a large number of 

 Walker's types are determined, and many figured. The author has 

 also taken the opportunity to describe several new genera and species ; 

 the former are generally illustrated by woodcuts of neuration, and a 

 considerable proportion of the latter are figured on the plates. 



Owing to the vast number of existing species, and the difficulty of 

 determining them by decsriptions only, even if the descriptions are 

 good and the species are assigned to their right genera, good figures 

 are of immense service to the entomologist. We will not go so far as 

 to say with M. Oberthiir that all descriptions unaccompanied by 

 figures ought to be rejected, for we think that the work of every author 



