﻿1870.] 239 



our Lepidopterists, but conclude that he made some great mistake as to the species. 

 No British entomologist, in his right senses, would give " one pound " for this 

 insect, of which a specimen, British or otherwise, is not worth more, at the highest, 

 than eighteen-pence. The moral to be drawn from the anecdote is evident. — Eds.] 



lU&Ufo. 



" Faune Gaelo Rhenane," Coleopteres, Tome l er , 2 me Livraison ; by Albert 

 Fauvel, Caen, 1869. 



The prefatial chapters of this work, completing the 1st vol., and extending to 

 282 pages, accompanied by 4 exceedingly well executed plates, are now published ; 

 and of themselves form a satisfactory introduction to the study of European 

 Coleoptera. The present livraison treats of metamorphoses, external anatomy and 

 habits (with an elaborate terminological list) ; and also enters at some length upon 

 " species " and " varieties," sexual and other differences in structure, &c, the laws 

 of nomenclature, and the different schemes of classification. To these is added a 

 supplementary list of contemporary coleopterists of the district to which the work 

 refers, viz., Prance, Belgium, Holland, Luxemburgh, Rhenish Prussia, Nassau, 

 and the district of the Valais. This introductory portion (though, of course, 

 affording no idea of the way in which the body of the work is to be treated) can be 

 read with interest by the general student, and cau hardly fail to be instructive to 

 the young British Coleopterist, abounding as it does both in original observations 

 and in well-known facts put in an agreeable way. The remarks upon the foundation, 

 &c, of species (in the usual entomological sense) are particularly commendable. 

 Amongst them is the suggestion that there should be an annual or biennial com- 

 mittee of well known Coleopterists (to be held at Paris), to whom all unique, new, 

 remarkable or doubtful species should be submitted, with a view to the furtherance of 

 knowledge and consequent reduction of synonymy. A typographical error makes 

 M. Fauvel term this committee an " aeropage " (instead of " areopage ") : it is to be 

 hoped that this is not an augury that the proposed assembly is likely to remain 

 " in nubibus." 



M. Fauvel notes that only three species of our Braclielytra (which he 

 under-rates at 700), viz., Stenus exigims, Er., and Oxypoda rupicola and Homalium 

 rugulipenne, Rye, are peculiar to Britain ; but this does not, of course, include 

 certain of Dr. Sharp's new species of Hnmalota. He also remarks that Stephens' 

 Tachyporus var. nitidicollis of obtusus is the only really indigenous race we possess 

 in that group. His general observations lead to the impression that many changes 

 of nomenclature will be made by him, and that he intends to collocate allied insects 

 which have hitherto chiefly relied for specific distinction on the character of having 

 or wanting wings, added to the usual modifications of structure attending those 

 conditions. 



Entomological Society of London, January 2Mh, 1870 (Anniversary Meeting). 

 — F. Smith, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The Ballot for the Council and Officers for the present year took place, when 

 Messrs. H. W. Bates, Dallas, Dunning, Fry, Grut, McLachlan, Parry, Pascoe, 



