SCIENCE- GOSSIP. 



275 



NOTICES BY JOHN T. CARRINCTON. 



British Dragonflies. By W. J. Lucas, B.A., 

 F.E.S. xiv. -r 356 pp., 9 in. x 6 in., with 27 

 coloured plates and 57 figures in text. (London : 

 L. Upcott Gill, 1900.) 3 is. 6d. 



There is not anything so stimulating to the study 

 of any group of living animals as a good illustrated 

 text-book in the language of the students. Hence 

 we may expect much activity among British ento- 

 mologists in investigating the numerous unsolved 

 problems in the natural history of our native Odonata, 

 now there is such an excellent handbook on these 

 handsome insects. The time spent upon the subject 

 will for a long period to come repay the research, 

 for, though we have only some forty native species 

 as yet recognised, what strikes one most about Mr. 

 Lucas's book is that beyond the identification of 

 species and a few of the nymphs, comparatively so 

 little is really known of the economy and distribution 

 of dragonflies. The book before us is sure to give a 

 great impulse to the study of them. It is excellently 

 produced by the publisher, especially the drawings by 

 the author, both in black and white, and the beautifully 

 coloured plates. The general arrangement is satisfac- 

 tory. Chapter I. is the Introduction, from which much 

 may be learned by the uninitiated about dragonflies ; 



Aeschna grandis. Ovipositing. (Bjitish Dragoiijlies.) 



also full instructions with regard to terminology and 

 identification. The main body of the work is occu- 

 pied by careful description of genera and species. 

 The subject-matter is arranged on uniform plan under 

 the headings of {a) synonymy, (*) original description 

 in nomenclator's own language, (<) size, (a) male 



imago, (e) female imago, (f) immature colour, (g) 

 variation, (h) nymph, (i) date, (/;) habits, and (/) dis- 

 tribution. Chapter VIII. is occupied by suggestions 

 for breeding the 

 nymph, and the 

 following or last 

 chapter with 

 useful instruc- 

 tions for the 

 capture of dra- 

 gonflies and pre- 

 paration for the 

 cabinet. Al- 

 though a some- 

 what costly 

 book, no really 

 earnest entomo- 

 logist can afford 

 to be without 

 the new work 

 on " British 

 Dragonflies " by 

 Mr. Lucas. By 

 permission of 

 Mr. Upcott Gill 

 we reproduce 

 two of the 

 smaller illustra- 

 tions. 



METHOD OF SETTING DRAGONFLY. 



{British Drag07ifties.) 



The Natural History of Selborne. By Gilbert 

 White, edited with notes by Grant Allen, xi. + 528 

 pp., loin, x 7in., with 180 illustrations by Edmund 

 H. New, and two portraits. (London and New York : 

 John Lane, 1900.) 2i.r. net. 



We have already had the pleasure of noticing some 

 of the earlier parts of this work, in which form it ap- 

 peared (Science-Gossip, New Series, ante p. 21), 

 and, now that it is completed in book-form, we are 

 glad to find the high standard of production pro- 

 jected by the publisher has been fully maintained. 

 As a whole, this edition of White's " Selborne " can- 

 not fail to gladden the hearts of book collectors and 

 the more cultured bibliophiles, always in search of 

 the beautiful in book form. Printed with old style 

 type on rough edged paper, and illustrated in Mr. 

 New's quaint style of drawing, this ponderous volume 

 is indeed a handsome addition to a library. As 

 editor, the late Grant Allen has largely confined him- 

 self to certain popular criticisms in the form of foot- 

 notes and a dozen-page Introduction. This latter is 

 chiefly historical and biographical, written in his 

 trenchant style, which at times ran to unjustness for 

 the sake of literary effect. Such is shown in the last 

 sentence of the first paragraph on page xxxvii. Yet 

 it is not all so, and this Introduction is a distinct addi- 

 tion as another essay on the lore of Gilbert White, 

 and his never failing sweet inspirations of the breezy 

 country with its living things. 



A Natural History of the British Lepidoplera. By 

 J. W. Tutt, F.E.S. Vol. I., iv + 560 pp., 9in. by 

 6in. (London : Swan Sonnenschein & Co., 1899.) 



Though a year late, we have received a copy of 

 Mr. Tutt's now well-known work on the British 

 Lepidoptera, which forms one of the best text-books 

 on the Order, though some of the older students may 

 not agree with his proposals for reforming classifica- 

 tion. This volume bears evidence of careful, honest, 

 and thoughtful labour, and this first instalment gives 

 promise of future valuable work. 



