Reviews and Book Notices. 



♦The Migration and Dispersal of Insects.' By J. W. Tutt, 

 F.E.S. Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, London, E.G., 5s. 



This book consists of a series of papers which have been for some time 

 appearing- at intervals in the pages of the ' Entomolog-ists' Record.' Their 

 issue in this complete form is very timely, because lately a g-ood deal of 

 interest has been revived in the migration of insects, and more particularly of 

 the lepidoptera. The extraordinaryand valuable observations made by Mr. W. 

 Eag-le Clarke, F. L.S. — a former secretary of the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union 

 — when stationed on the Kentish Knock Lig'htship from 17th September to 

 iSth October last (Ent. Mo. Mag-., December 1903, p. 289) ; and when the 

 sun-loving butterfly, Vanessa cardiii, was repeatedly observed to be flying- 

 ag-ainst the lantern from 8.45 p.m. to midnight on 22nd September, thus 

 proving that part, at any rate, of its mig-rating is done in the nig'ht; together 

 with the remarkable invasion of a number of other species, including several 

 of the greatest rarity in Britain, during the week following that date, should 

 render this summary by Mr. Tutt, of nearly all the recorded migrations 

 of insects of all orders during- the past hundred years or so, more than 

 ordinarily acceptable. It is unnecessary, too, to tell anyone who knows 

 anything of the writings of the author, that the subject is exhaustively 

 treated. Every phase of insect migration and dispersal is carefully con- 

 sidered. The migratory instinct of some of the larger orthoptera and other 

 orders; the apparently voluntary but altogether unaccountable migration of 

 some lepidoptera ; the probably involuntary flight, brought about by strong- 

 winds and other atmospheric conditions — of many lepidoptera, neuroptera, 

 trichoptera, and probably most of the other strong flying orders ; the dis- 

 persal of insects by water, by shipping, and other numerous means, are 

 all treated of in the fullest detail. Stud}^ of this migration and dispersal of 

 insects cannot fail to be of the greatest interest and scientific value, for, 

 although it is scarcely likely that there is any regular mig-ration from one 

 country to another — to say nothing of a return journey, on the part of any 

 single species — that is as we understand migration in the case of birds, it 

 cannot be doubted that it has a so far-reaching effect on the very existence 

 of a no inconsiderable portion of the insect fauna of the British Islands, that 

 were it not for these periodical invasions, many of our so-called British 

 species would soon be non-existent with us. That our fauna, too, is being 

 constantly and rapidly augmented through dispersal by means of shipping is 

 seen by the comparatively recent additions of such orthoptera as Peri- 

 planeta aniericana, P. aiistralasice , and others, which, in a very few years, 

 have already spread over our country. Others like Anisolahis annulipes 

 and Apterygida arachidis, with many of the dried fruit-feeding lepidoptera, 

 etc., increase here rapidly directly they find congenial settlement. Again, 

 in the ' Monog-raph of the British Coccidse,' recently issued by the Ray 

 Society, Mr. Newstead tells us that out of eighty-eight British species, 

 fifty-one have undoubtedly been introduced from other countries. 



We have one fault to find with Mr. Tutt's book : it should not have been 

 sent out in such a paltry paper cover; it is worth}' of a better, and at its 



price ought to have had one. G. T. P. 



_ — 



The 31st Annual Report of the Petei-borough Natural History, Scientific, 

 and Archaeological Society is to hand. It contains particulars of the 

 additions to the Society's museum during- 1902 and a list of birds and eggs 

 ' wanted.' 







' Knowledg-e Diary and Scientific Handbook for 1904' caii be particularly 

 recommended to scientific men on accoinit of the suitability of the informa- 

 tion contained therein. It is of a handy size, and lias ample space provided 

 for monthly notes, etc. The volume contains papers on meteorology, 

 astronomy, microscopy, etc., by well-known writers, which, however, seem 

 almost lost in a diary. The frontispiece is a portrait of Darwin. (326, High 

 Holborn, W.C., 3s. net.) 



Naturalist, 



