286 



The Scottish Naturalist. 



THE LARVAE OF THE BRITISH BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS, 

 Vol. III. (The concluding portion of the Bombyces), by (the late) 

 William Buckler, being the Ray Society volume issued for the year 

 1888. 



We have already had occasion to comment with high praise on the preceding 

 volumes of this work ; and it is fitting that the third volume should not be 

 passed in silence by this Journal, despite the fact that only a share of the 

 forms described and figured in it are Scotch. As in the earlier volumes all the 

 figures are the work of Mr. Buckler, and are absolutely true to nature in every 

 detail. But in the letter-press we miss greatly the hand of Mr. Hellins, whose 

 thorough mastery of the subject and conscientious care in the completion of 

 his friend's labours were evident in almost every previous page. There can 

 be little question as to the wisdom of the decision come to by Mr. Stainton to 

 allow Mr. Buckler's notes and a few additions by Mr. Hellins, (indicated in 

 each case by initials), to appear unaltered, even by supplementary remarks ; 

 but it results from this that the notes on many of the species are extremely 

 fragmentary. This is peculiarly the case with the commoner species, which 

 Mr. Buckler appears to have left to be taken in hand at some more convenient 

 season. The most complete life-histories are those extracted from the 

 "Entomologist's Monthly Magazine." Those taken from entries in note- 

 books are naturally far less full. Yet even in these there is much of interest to 

 all lepidopterists. 



Unfortunately, though 78 species and varieties are figured, there are 

 references in the letter-press to only 34 of these ; but among the latter are 

 found the whole of the British Lithosiidce. 



The families included in this volume are as follows, the first number 

 denoting the species figured, and the second those mentioned in the text, 

 viz. — Notodontidce (continued) 8, 3; Liparidce 11, i; Lithosiidce 17, 17; 

 Nolidce 5, 3 ; Chelonidce 12, 2 : Bombycidce 11 and I variety, 3 and 1 variety ; 

 Endromidce 1,1; Saturnidce 1, 1 ; Platypterygidce 6, 2; Psychidce 3, o; 

 Cochliopodidce 2, I. A list (by Mr. Bignall) of parasites bred from the larva? 

 concludes the volume. 



NATU R ALISTS'-GAZETTE SERIES OF LABEL LISTS. 



This series of labels will prove a great convenience to collectors, as they 

 include several groups of animals, of which British lists could scarcely be 

 procured. They are printed in good clear type, of a size to be pleasant to the 

 eye. Each list is printed on one side of a single sheet of paper and costs i^d or 

 2^d, or is and is 6d per dozen. The series at present published numbers 

 six lists, all British, viz. 1, Starfish, Sea Urchins, and Sea Cucumbers ; 2, Stalk- 

 eyed Crustaceans ; 3, Butterflies, 4, Diagonflies ; 5, Land and Freshwater 

 Shells ; 6, Birds' Eggs. The last-named list is adapted for labelling the eggs, 

 the names of the birds being printed in type of sizes suited to the respective eggs. 

 We doubt the expediency of attempting to popularise the study of the Dragon- 

 flies by giving so-called popular or English names to them, where such names 

 are not in any true sense popular (most being devised for the occasion), as their 

 use is apt to prove but a delusion and a snare to the unwary. We have observed 

 one or two misprints and the absence of capital letters in specific names 

 which should have them ; but these small blemishes will, doubtless, be got 

 clear of in a new issue. 



