50 



[July, 



A good Manual of French LepidoiAera has long been wanted. De Villiers and 

 Guenee's book i.s not sufficiently portable for convenient use, and, moreover, was 

 discontinued at the end of the RJiopalocera. The entomological traveller in France 

 may now possess himself of a convenient little manual, which, even when completed, 

 will add but little to his baggage. 



The first hundred pages are chiefly occupied with directions for collecting, taken 

 from the "Nouveau Guide do I'Amatour d'Inscctos," and other introductory matter, 

 the value of which is much increased by the woodcuts illustrative of apparatus, 

 neuration, &o. 



The plates represent about 80 species, sometimes giving the different species 

 or varieties, and frequently both surfaces of the wings ; and in most cases are very 

 well executed. A serious defect, however, which greatly impairs the value of the 

 book, especially to the purchasers of uncoloured copies, is, that the insects figured 

 are rarely described in the text ; a reference to the figure being apparently con- 

 sidered sufficient. We hope this omission will be remedied in the succeeding 

 volumes and in future editions. It is true that almost any figure would be sufficient 

 to identify Lihythea Celtis or Vanessa lo ; but no one could be expected to recognize 

 Erehia Ligea from a plate which does not show the peculiarly characteristic white 

 markings of the under-side of the hind-wings. 



The arrangement followed throughout is nearly that of Staudinger. We are 

 glad to observe that M. Berce does not adopt the practice (which we find in some 

 French books of Natural History) of popularizing everything, even to the Latin 

 names. 



There are numerous notices of the food-plants and times of appearance of the 

 larvas j but, except under the genera, we can find no descriptions of larva). It is 

 to be regretted that M. Berce has passed over without notice various known larvao 

 (Thecla W-alhum and Coenonympha Davus for instance) ; and in some cases (as in 

 those of Polyommatus Eurydice and Po.rnassius Mnemosyne), he has added 

 " chenille ?," or even " chenille inconnue," to species of which the lai'vae have been 

 well described and figured, as both P. Eurydice and P. Mnemosyne have been 

 by Freyer. 



Notwithstanding these slight blemishes, we believe the book will be found 

 useful to those interested in European Lepidoptera, and especially to the entomo- 

 logical tourist. 



©ettcral Ittformntton. 



French exhibition of Economic Entomology. — We have received a circular 

 announcing that the Societe d'Insectologie Agricole" (could not our neighbours 

 have invented a better terra than " Insectologie " ?), of which Dr. Boisduval is 

 president, intends to hold an exhibition of useful and noxious insects, and their 

 products and depredations, with the agents that benefit or injure us by destroying 

 these insects, and the artificial means employed in destroying the direct or indirect 

 destroyers. It will be held in the Palace of Industry at Paris, and is to be open 

 during the whole of the month of August next. This exhibition will no doubt be 

 worthy of a visit from any entomologist who may be in Paris during August ; Dr. 

 Boisduval's reputation is a sufficient guarantee that no means will bo spared to 

 render it instructive alike to the agriculturist and entomologist. 



