138 BR. J. ENT. NAT. HIST., 6: 1993 



use of the wings is foremost, for flight, although the way in which the insects couple 

 and fold their wings as well as the use of the venation in classification is also examined. 

 The secondary use of the wings involves their coloration. Their uses in 

 defence/camouflage, mimicry, attraction and thermoregulation are also considered. 

 The short section on mimicry was especially pleasing as it put a complex subject into 

 a page and a half of understandable text. The chapter on the ova, larvae and pupae, 

 something which most other publications barely mention, was most welcome. 



The final chapter of this section deals with communication by sound and scent. 

 I would have thought that all lepidopterists were aware of the use of pheromones for 

 attracting the opposite sex. I wonder how many realize that sound is also used for 

 the same effect. 



The second section of the book deals with the environmental importance of the 

 Lepidoptera including their use as indicators of environmental change. 



The final section provides a guide to the major taxa starting with a short chapter 

 on the historical development of lepidopteran classification; followed by four chapters 

 dealing with the superfamilies of (i) primitive Lepidoptera, (ii) early Heteroneura, 

 (iii) lower Ditrysia and (iv) higher Ditrysia. Each superfamily is broken down to family 

 level with brief descriptions of the adult stage, immature stages, biology and 

 classification. Those lepidopterists who like myself, until now, considered that the 

 "Rhopalocera" constituted the Hesperiodea and Papilionoidea, will be surprised to 

 find the addition by the author (back in 1985) of a further superfamily, the Hedyloidea. 

 Black and white photographs of typical members of each family are reproduced at 

 the end of Chapter 12. 



Should the reader wish to pursue a particular subject matter there are copious 

 references to other works throughout the book. These are catalogued in the usual 

 manner, in an extensive reference list at the end. 



There are a few typographical errors and inconsistencies in the book. For example 

 at page 168 under "Pheromones and speciation" Colias philodice and C. eury theme 

 are mentioned. In the following sentence they are referred to as P. philodice and 

 P. eury theme. At page 102 reference is made to the presence of a cloaca being present 

 in many Trichoptera. The next sentence states that a cloaca is not present in the 

 Trichoptera. Page 117 in the last sentence of the first paragraph of "Coverings of 

 the body" should I believe read "Unlike primary setae ..." and not "Unlike secondary 

 setae . . .". Finally figure 9 on plate 1 refers to the species figured as Strymonidia 

 w-album. That shown is not the Palaeartic species it is supposed to be. 



However, these very minor points do not detract from an excellent and well-written 

 book. The approach taken by the author has produced a book which is both easy 

 and enjoyable to read. It is a book I would certainly recommend to all entomologists, 

 not just lepidopterists, who wish to broaden their knowledge of the order's general 

 biology and diversity. The book would make a useful addition to any entomologists' 

 library. 



M. J. Simmons 



Corrigendum— I should like to point out that Mr D. B. Wooldridge of 'Pictou', 

 Church Street, Niton, Isle of Wight, captured the aberration of Hypsopygia costalis 

 (F.) photographed at the 1992 BENHS Annual Exhibition {Br. J. Ent. Nat. Hist. 

 1993; 6: Plate III). I exhibited the specimen on his behalf.— S. A. Knill-Jones, 

 Roundstone, 2 School Green Road, Freshwater, Isle of Wight. 



