PRESS NOTICES OF VOL. I. 



"Mr. Tutt's first volume of the 'Natural History of the British Lepidoptera' is something more 

 than its title would lead us to expect, and if other volumes should succeed it, compiled on the same 

 lines, and with equal elaboration and attention to details, we may expect a fund of information, for 

 collectors as well as students, such as has never before been brought together in so accessible and con- 

 venient a form. . . . The first part of the book gives ample evidence of careful thought, of unlimited 

 industry, and of some power of analysis, yet there is much that we only partially understand, and a 

 good deal that comes under the category of ' not proven,' but we must add that it is written in no 

 aggressive spirit, and is pervaded rather by a tone of modesty and self-effacement worthy of the truly 

 scientific enquirer, a quality which adds much to its merit. The second part of the book contains a 

 vast fund of information. The conscientious care with which Mr. Tutt searches out the histories of 

 the various species, has provided the student with a perfect compendium of all that has been written 

 on the subject worth reading, and much knowledge possessed by himself and others hitherto unpub- 

 lished. The full references and synonymy given in all cases, together with the original descriptions, 

 leave no excuse for ignorance or error in any future work undertaken in this connection, and we have 

 no hesitation in saying that this is the first instance in which any author has provided his readers with 

 so complete and careful a summary of evidence to support the identification of species in any genus 

 of the Micro-Lepidoptera. For this and for the careful redescriptions of each species (including 

 original descriptions of two new to science) it is impossible to praise the author too highly or to express 

 too strongly the thanks of those who study the subject which he has so amply elucidated. For many 

 of them it would have been impossible to refer to the works quoted, scattered as they are through 

 various libraries, private and public, at home and abroad, and, in any case, the expenses incurred in 

 so doing would have been greater than the moderate sum necessary to provide them with more than 

 one copy of Mr. Tutt's excellent book." — (Rt. Hon.) Lord Walsixoham, in The Entomologist's Monthly 

 Magazine. July, 1899. 



"This is a closely-printed octavo book of 566 pages, in which the author shows himself to be, at least, 

 a master in the arts of compilation and condensation. It is divided into two parts, the first of which, 

 devoted to introductory matter, occupies 112 pages, and contains nine chapters. These deal with the 

 origin of the Lepidoptera, the ovum, embryology, parthenogenesis or agamogenesis, external and 

 internal structure of the larva, variation in the imagines, protective coloration and defensive structures 

 of Lepidopterous larva', and lastly, ihe classification of Lepidoptera. Upon all these subjects we find a 

 great mass of information, collected from every conceivable source, and presented in such a concise 

 manner as to save the student a vast amount of time and trouble in searching for any particular fact. 

 . . . The second part of the volume, containing (exclusive of index), 434 pages, deals with the super- 

 families Micropterygides, Nepticulides, Cochlidides, Anthrocerides, 30 that on an average five-and-a-half 

 pages are devoted to each species. . . . Each species is treated of under the following plan: first a full 

 list of synonyms and bibliographical references, then an exact copy of the original description, this last a 

 good idea, and an extremely useful feature of the book. Following this comes a description of the imago, 

 then particulars as to variation, egglaying, description of eggs, habits of larva, description of larva, 

 pupa and cocoon, method of dehiscence, food-plants, parasites, &c. Extremely full details are given as 

 to localities, time of appearance, and distribution outside the British Isles, and the trouble expended 

 in the preparation of this portion of the work must have been enormous. It strikes us, indeed, that 

 there cannot surely be much omitted from this important work for the future investigator to turn his 

 attention to, so fully does the author enter into the subject. We cordially congratulate Mr. Tutt upon 

 the successful issue of this first volume, and trust that he will be encouraged to proceed rapidly with 

 the succeeding parts. If to the mere collector it may appear at first sight the driest work on British 

 Lepidoptera that has yet appeared, it must, on the other hand, prove to the serious worker an 

 invaluable companion." — The Annals of Scottish Natural History. July, 1899. 



" In this excellent work of 560 pages, the first twelve chapters are devoted to the origin of the 

 Lepidoptera; the ovum or egg; the embryology of a lepidopterous larva; parthenogenesis; external 

 and internal structure of a lepidopterous larva; variation of the imagines; protective coloration and 

 defensive structures of larvae ; classification of the Lepidoptera, with a plate on which is given a 

 phylogenetic tree, illustrating the development of the Lepidoptera from a hypothetical base. Part II. 

 is devoted to the Sphingo-Micropterygid stirps— the Micropterygides, the Nepticulides, the Cochlidides, 

 and the Anthrocerides. This first volume on the British Lepidoptera is a model in its way, and gives 

 promise that when the entire work is completed little will be left to be desired. The subjects in the 

 first part are dealt with very fully, and it would almost appear that every writer of importance had been 

 culled from, yet the work is not entirely a compilation, for the author's own observations and conclusions 

 are everywhere in evidence. The subjects of the second part are even more exhaustively treated than 

 those in the first, which is very proper in a book of this character. Six pages and a half are devoted to 

 the first insect dealt with, Micropteryx calthella, L., under the headings : Synonymy, original description, 

 imago, sexual dimorphism, variation, comparison with other species, egg-laying, ovum, habits of larva, 

 larva, cocoon, pupa, food-plant, habitat, time of appearance, localities and distribution. It is rather 

 discouraging to the student of North American Micros to see how full and complete a history is given 

 of these insects in England, while our knowledge of the species in this country stands, in comparison 

 with what remains to be learned, like small and remote oases in the great desert. It is impossible to 

 do justice to a work of this character in the short space that can be allowed, but no worker on the 

 Lepidoptera should be without it."— Professor Fernald, PhD., F.E.S., The Canadian Entomologist. 

 June, 1899. 



"In comprehensiveness and fulness of detail on all points of interest to the biologist, the systematise 

 and the collector, this volume is, as regards the particular subjects treated, without a rival. The whole 

 subject is treated with wideness and appreciativeness of view. One of the chief merits of the book is 

 the fulness with which it sets forth the views of other authorities, and the reasons for the choice which 

 it is necessary to make between them and the views, in many cases original, of the author. . . There 

 are so many public libraries, institutions, &c, in England, in America, on the European continent, and 

 elsewhere, to which the possession of this work will be so absolutely indispensable, that it may be 

 hoped that the demand will justify the great expenditure of labour and time that has been made upon 

 it. It should be in every reference library in the provinces professing to be of a comprehensive 

 character."— F. Merrifield, F.E.S., in The Entomologist. April, 1899. 



