1056 The American Naturalist. [December, 
American Nematinze.—The third of the technical series of bulle- 
tins from the U. S. Division of Entomology is entitled “ Revision of the 
Nematinz of North America, a Subfamily of Leaf-feeding Hymenop- 
tera of the Family Tenthredinidx.” It is by Mr. C. L. Marlatt, and 
extends over 135 pages, with one excellent plate and several illustra- 
tions in the text. We quote from the introduction as follows: 
“The subfamily Nematine of Thompson or Nematina of Cameron 
(Konow’s subtribe Nematides) comprises a very large group of closely 
allied species, distributed in the classification adopted by the author 
among nearly a score of genera. They range from very small insects to 
medium sized, but include no very large species, or in length from 2 to 
12 mm. They are for the most part smooth, shining, and rather soft 
bodied, and are variously colored, but yet presenting frequently a 
confusing similarity in general form, and particularly in coloration, 
rendering their generic and specific references in some cases difficult. 
In point of number of species and abundance of individuals this sub- 
family far exceeds any other of the corresponding groups in the family 
Tenthredinids, and in variation and peculiarities in larval habits and 
in economic importance many of the species belonging to it have a 
very great interest. 
“Geographical Distribution—The Nematinz are distinctly northern 
in their range, reaching their greatest development in abundance of 
species and specimens in the transition and boreal zones, and extend 
northward into the cireumpolar regions—species occurring abundantly 
in Greenland, Iceland, and Spitzbergen. Southward they become less 
and less numerous, and are particularly wanting in tropical countries. 
This is illustrated very forcibly in Europe by the occurrence of over 
70 species of the old genus Nematus in Scotland (Cameron) and 95 in 
Sweden (Thompson) as against 12 about Naples, Italy (Costa); and 
the same discrepancy exists between the temperate and subarctic region 
of America and the Southern States and Mexico. 
‘‘Food-plants—Their food-plants cover a wide range, some species 
affecting grasses, one or two very destructive to the grains, others 
various deciduous trees and shrubs, and still others conifers. The ma- 
jority of the species occur, however, on plants of the families Salicaceæ, 
‘Betulacese, Rosacese, and Conifers, in the order given. 
“Life history and habits—The Nematines are among the first sawflies 
to appear in spring, occurring abundantly on trees on the first appear- 
ance of the leaves. They do not often frequent flowers, except, at least, 
those of the plants upon which their larvæ feed. Many willow species, 
for example, occur abundantly on the earliest spring bloom of the 
