Notices of New Books. 4979 



of Friends, eschew titles and "like to be despised." My own educa- 

 tion has been very imperfect in a knowledge of those comparative 

 degrees which are here so carefully preserved. J. Bladon, Esq., 

 J. A. Brewer, Esq., Mr. Foxcroft, Mr. Standish, Joseph Stafford and 

 W. C. Unwin are measured by some standard I have not learned ; 

 and I think Mr. Stainton should have placed, at the head of the list, 

 the scale which he applied to entomologists when adapting them to 

 this bed of Procrustes. One would like to know whether magnitude, 

 gentility, learning or income was the test applied. 



But it is not merely the gradus of the entomologists that affords 

 matter of agreeable speculation ; the habitats, or the want of them, 

 is equally suggestive of hypothesis ; as an instance, we learn that 

 Mr. Saunders, although generally esteemed a well-to-do gentleman, has 

 in reality no homestead at all. Does he sleep on the steps at Lloyd's ? 

 Or repose at the foot of the marble Huskisson ? Mr. Wollaston, on 

 the other hand, rejoices in two habitats ; while studying the ' Annual' 

 over his cozey fireside at " 25, Thurloe Square, Brompton," his hair 

 will stand on end to find that he is " At present in Madeira." The 

 omissions are also very curious. One of our very best Lepidopterists, 

 Mr. Bouchard ; the best of our Orthopterists, Mr. G. R. Gray ; the best 

 of our Crustaceologists, Mr. R. Q. Couch ; the best of our Physiologists, 

 Mr. Bowerbank ; and the greatest, most kind-hearted and most volu- 

 minous of all our Entomologists, Mr. Walker, are ignored altogether. 

 Some of the minims of science might escape even a Tinearist, but how 

 can these stars of the first magnitude be hidden from his view ? Are 

 they such extra sizes in knowledge, in the world's esteem, or in stature, 

 that he could not clip them to the length of his bed ? 



To the names of many of the entomologists is appended a little bit 

 of autobiography — an outline portrait of the author, in all probability, 

 sketched by himself: thus Mr. Westwood depicts himself as " Econo- 

 mic Entomology, and insects of all orders from all parts of the world, 

 especially if of peculiar form." This certainly does great credit to his 

 head and heart. Mr. Weaver is labelled " British insects of all orders : 

 specimens always on sale or exchange." Mr. Lubbock " studies, but has 

 no collection : " he studies books, I presume : blind guides, Mr. Lub- 

 bock ! see how Mr. Stainton handles them a few pages further on. 



The chapters ' Lepidoptera, by the Editor,' and ' Observations on 

 British Tineina,' are good and useful, bringing down our knowledge 

 to the very day of publication. Of the same character also are ' Notes 

 of British Geodephaga, by Mr. Dawson,' ' Notes on Aculeate Hy- 

 menoptera, by Mr. Smith,' and ! Instructions in Collecting Aculeate 

 Hymenoptera, by Mr. Smith :' these seem to me the right materials for 



