80 



August, 



Under this title Mr. Edwards, well kuown for his devotion to the study of the 

 North Amencan Diurnal Lepidoptera, of which he has the largest collection in 

 existence, proposes to issue a series of coloured illustrations of all the species at 

 present known, accompanied by descriptions and notes on geographical distribution ; 

 a work much wanted, since the number of described North American species has 

 been doubled during the last few years ; the descriptions are scattered through 

 various publications. The first part, which was issued in April of the present year, 

 gives promise of great excellence, both as to the execution of the figures and the 

 information contained in the text. 



In size and general appearance, the work resembles Hewitson's *' Exotic 

 Butterflies ; " but each part is to consist of five plates instead of three. The 

 parts are to be issued quarterly, and the genera to follow in irregular order, not 

 following any system of classification ; but a classified synopsis of all the species 

 is promised as portion of the text, to be commenced with Part 3. 



With regard to the figures, it is not too much to say that they will bear com- 

 parison with the best that have ever been given in iconographical woi'ks. They 

 are correct in outline and drawing, and coloured with great truthfulness and 

 sobriety ; the general effect, too, is most pleasing and artistic ; in short, if illus- 

 trated works of so much beauty and accuracy as this can be produced on the other 

 side of the Atlantic, it behoves Natural History Iconographers in our old Europe 

 to look to their laurels. 



The letter-press accompaniment to the plates is also remarkably well done. 

 The synonymy is carefully and, so far as the work has proceeded, accurately worked 

 out ; the closely-allied species luminously discriminated ; the descriptions good ; 

 and the details of occurrence and distribution of the species full of interest. The 

 text, in fact, forms pleasant reading. Under the head of one species, Argynnis 

 Dicma, the afl&nities of a fossil allied butterfly, found in the miocene beds of Croatia 

 in Europe, the so-called Vanessa Pluto of Heer, are discussed ; the author giving his 

 reasons for believing this to be an Argynnis allied to the somewhat anomalous 

 North American A. Diana ; and hence deduces another fact in support of tke 

 hypothesis, that, in tertiary times, the organic productions of Europe and North 

 America much more closely resembled each other than they do at present. 



The first part is devoted to the genus Argynnis; and most of the species 

 have never before been figured. The second part is to consist, also, of Argynnis, 

 with the addition of a new Apatwa^ and a number of new Colias. The third part 

 will contain a continuation of Argynnis, and a number of previously unfigured 

 Thedoe, &c. 



No student of this beautiful and favourite tribe of insects will fail to obtain 

 this interesting work ; and we hail its appearance as a true advance in the science 

 of Entomology. 



Entomological Society of London, 8th July, 1868. H. W. Bates, Esq., F.Z.S., 

 President, in the Chair. 



Mr. Bond exhibited an extraordinary variety of Sctina irrorella, from near 

 Croydon ; it was very pale, with but few dots, but with a strong dark sub-terminal 

 fascia : also a variety of Arctia villica, bred from a larva found at Wormwood 



