50 LJuly, 
A good Manual of Frencli Lepidojitera has long been wanted. De Villiers and 
Gnenee's book is not safficieutly portable for convenient use, and, moreover, was 
discontinued at the end of the Rlwpalocera. 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 de I'Amateur d'Insectes," and other introductory matter, 
the value of which is much increased by the woodcuts illustrative of apparatus, 
nenration, &c. 
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 test ; 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 wonld 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 Standinger. "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 
larvae ; but, except under the genei-a, we can find no descriptions of larvae. It is 
to be regretted that M. Berce has passed over without notice various known larvaB 
(Thecla W-albura and Ccenonympha Davus for instance) ; and in some cases (as in 
those of Polyommatus Eurydice and Parnassius Mnemosyne), he has added 
" chenille ?," or even " chenille inconnue," to species of which the larvae 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. 
6£tt«ral Information. 
French exhibition of Economic Entomology. — "We have received a circular 
announcing that the Societe d'Insectologie Agi-icole " (could not our neighbours 
have invented a better term 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 dii-ect 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 be spared to 
render it instructive alike to the agricultm-ist and entomologist. 
