6ft The entomologist. 



ought to be respected ; but we do say that a figure, unless so bad as to 

 be quite misleading, is generally more useful than even the best 

 description ; though a good description is also necessary for pointing 

 out the characteristics, and especially the affinities of a species. And 

 even a bad coloured figure (provided always that it is not actually mis- 

 leading) is often more useful to a lepidopterist than a good plain one. 



In the work before us, which deals chiefly with large species, the 

 moths are all represented of the natural size. Unless insects are so 

 small that their markings cannot be reproduced, we think it is a pity 

 to publish enlarged figures. This is sometimes done on the Con- 

 tinent with Pyralidse and other moths, which would look far more 

 natural, and whose markings would come out with equal clearness, if 

 they were not enlarged. 



The present volume includes only Sphinges and Bombyces ; and 

 we understand that two more will be needed to complete the work. 

 Col. Swinhoe has followed a somewhat different arrangement from Mr. 

 Kirby, and has included the ^geriidre and Cymatophoridge in the 

 Bombyces. The Uraniidse, Cocytiidse, Castniid* and Agaristid^e, are 

 placed in the middle of the volume, and the genus Epicopeia, in- 

 cluded by Mr. Butler in the LiparidaB (or, as Col. Swinhoe prefers to 

 call them, Lymantriidfe), and by most other authors in the Ohalcosiid^, 

 is here formed into a distinct subfamily of ZygaenidaB, following the 

 Chalcosiidae. The new family Eupterotidse, just proposed by Mr. 

 Hampson, has likewise been adopted. 



We are glad to be able cordially to recommend this useful book to 

 the notice of entomologists, though it is to be regretted that several 

 serious misprints in the spelling of proper names occur, such as 

 " Hearsay " for " Hearsey, and " Moelleri " for " Molleri." 



OBITUAEY. 



Professor Veit Graber died at Rome on the 3rd March last. He 

 had been for some years Professor of Zoology at Czernowitz, but in 

 the autumn of 1891 he was found to be suffering from serious illness, 

 and was advised to travel in the South for the benefit of his health : 

 but his malady making rapid progress, he died and was buried away 

 from home. Graber was best known to entomologists in this country 

 by his book 'Die Insecten,' published in three volumes in 1878. 

 It is in many respects the best introductory work on the subject that 

 has yet been published. Graber' s greatest work was accomplished in 

 the departments of embryology, anatomy and physiology. His 

 writings on the embryology of insects and on points connected there- 

 with, have been both numerous and extensive, and have gained him a 

 world-wide reputation ; his labours on the organs of hearing in insects 

 have been scarcely less important. He was only 47 years of age, and 

 his prematrne decease is a serious loss to entomology. 



D. S. 



Erratum. — Page ] 4, for " Riesenwetter " read " Kiesenwetter " 

 throughout. 



