44 



of synonymical species. This is especially true of the genera Papilio, Pieris and Terias, 

 in which seasonal dimorphism reveals itself most strikingly. The course pursued by Mr. 

 Pryer in massing a large number of forms of the species originally described by Linnaeus 

 as Terias Hecabe under the name Terias Multiformis, Pryer is open to criticism on the 

 ground that the labour of the elder nomenclator should have been respected and his name 

 retained, while the names of later writers should have been adduced as synonyms. 

 Nevertheless the fact seems to be established beyond reasonable doubt that the species 

 lumped by Mr. Pryer under the newly coined name Multiformis are all mere local or 

 seasonal variations of Hecabe, Linn. 



It was the privilege of the writer to spend many days in Mr. Pryer's laboratory, and 

 he can testify to the painstaking care which he has taken to avoid error in his deduc- 

 tions. The most surprising result of breeding is, however, one which is not alluded to in 

 Part I. of the Rhopalocera Nihonica, since it was only definitely confirmed during the 

 past summer, viz., the discovery that Terias Beihesba of Janson is a dimorphic form of 

 Terias Laeta of Boisduval. The entire difference in form of the two has naturally led 

 students unhesitatingly to accept them as widely different species. Careful breeding has 

 established their practical identity. 



As the first attempt at a comprehensive and accurate survey of a part of the beauti- 

 ful insect fauna of " Dai-Nippon," the new work will no doubt be hailed with pleasure by 

 all Entomologists who raise their eyes beyond the narrow confines of their own immedi- 

 ate neighborhoods and seek to ascertain the truth as to the whole of nature. 



W. J. Holland. 



The Butterflies of South Africa. South African butterflies : A monograph of the 

 extra-tropical species. By Roland Trimen, F.R.S., etc., assisted by James Henry 

 Bowker, P. Z. S., etc. Vol. I : Nyniphalidse ; Vol. II : Erycinida? and Lycaenidse. 

 London : Trubner <fc Co., 1887, 8 mo. 



All who have studied foreign butterflies at all are acquainted with Trimen's work on 

 the butterflies of Southern Africa, published more than twenty years ago, under the title 

 Bhopalocera Africae Australis. It will please them to know that there have recently 

 appeared the first two of three volumes on the same subject, which are based, indeed, 

 upon the old, but wholly rewritten, and with a great wealth of additions, especially on 

 the natural history side. These two volumes comprise the Nymphalidae, Erycinidae and 

 Lycaenidoe, in all 238 species. The Papilionidse and Hesperidas are to occupy the third 

 volume with about 142 species. It will thus be seen that Mr. Trimen falls into line 

 with all the principal lepidopterists of England in the serial order in which he here places 

 the different families of butterflies, adopting, indeed, exactly the subdivisions and the 

 order Mr. Moore employs in his Lepidoptera of Ceylon, which we noticed lately. 

 But he does more than that ; for, in a long introductory chapter of 44 pp., he treats of 

 the structure, classification and distinctive characters of the groups, together with their 

 geographical distribution, their habits and instances of mimicry in an excellent manner, 

 such as is very unusual in a work of this nature. It would interest every reader of 

 the Canadian Entomologist. So, too, all the families, sub-families and generic groups are 

 characterised with a fulness entirely proportional to the specific descriptions, rendering the 

 work one of the best introductions to a fauna known to me. These descriptions are evi- 

 dently the work of one who is quite familiar with structure, are not copied from the work 

 of others, but are introduced in language of the author's own, having a special value quite 

 apart from the rest of the work. Nor is- this all ; for the characters are drawn not simply 

 from the complete stage of the insects, but from the larva and pupa as well, and these 

 same stages are introduced in the generic description. It is unfortunate that he has not 

 included also the egg. The work is illustrated so far by ten octavo plates, one of which 

 is devoted to the structure of the wings, the head and legs of the imago; two to the early 

 stages of a few species, and the remainder to excellent chromo lithographs of the perfect 

 insects. The figures of the early stages are an interesting, though somewhat scanty, 



