Notices of New Books. 4689 



increasing the sale of Mr. Dawson's work, since many of the specific 

 names, brought into use by that careful author, are unintelligible until 

 accompanied by his own satisfactory explanations : the synonyms 

 would have made the list far more valuable to the student; but 

 would certainly, at the same time, have trebled the cost. 



c The Entomologist's Annual for 1855, comprising Nolices of the New 

 British Insects detected in 1854.' Lepidoptera, by the Editor. 

 Hymenoptera, by Frederick Smith. Coleoptera, by E. W. 

 Janson. Edited by H. T. Stainton. London : Van Voorst. 

 1855. 



The same Work. Second Edition, with considerable additions, in- 

 cluding Instructions for Collecting, Preserving and Arranging 

 Insects, and an Address to the Young Entomologists at Eton, 

 Harrow, Winchester, Rugby, and at all other Schools. 154 pp. 

 12mo. One coloured plate. Price 2s. 6d. 



This work is a very useful one : it is the following out of a plan 

 which I think originated with myself, of giving a summary, at the end 

 of the year, of our entomological doings during the year : this was 

 partially and imperfectly carried out in the Preface to several suc- 

 cessive volumes of the ' Zoologist,' but was suspended on my election 

 to the chair of the Entomological Society in favour of the new obli- 

 gation then devolving on me of preparing an annual address. Thus 

 a hiatus of two prefaces has occurred, the matter, however, appearing 

 in a somewhat altered form ; and I trust, life and health permitting, 

 to resume the agreeable task at the close of 1855. 



Although, in the explanatory title of the ' Annual,' which I have 

 given verbatim, the Editor only promises a summary of the labours of 

 the year, yet these constitute but an infinitesimal part of the book 

 itself: thus the Lepidopterous portion is headed after this fashion — 

 " New British Species since 1835," which, according to my compre- 

 hension, comprises twenty years instead of one. The Hymenopterous 

 summary is a retrospect of all discoveries since the i Monographia 

 Apum,' a period of fifty-three years ! The Coleopterous summary, 

 commencing with 1839, comprises sixteen years. This is indeed so 

 much more than bargained for, and is most acceptable, but is quite at 

 variance with the character of an annual summary. 



