SHORT NOTICES OF BOOKS. 
137 
have long legs, run quickly, and are carnivorous in habits. Black is the most 
common colour among them. They hide under stones, moss and bark,” &c. 
Some of the statements made by Dr. Hoffmann are slightly misleading and seem 
to betray a limited experience in collecting British beetles. Thus he says of 
the species of Notiophilus, “ they frequent damp localities and live under stones,” 
and “ A^. aijucUictts is the commonest of the five British species.” Now 
it so happens that one species, N. bigullatus, which we believe to be by far the 
commonest of the five, may be found on any warm sunshiny day running over the 
flower beds in almost every British back garden. We have noticed also in the 
text a few careless mistakes which, however, we are glad to think will mislead no 
young collector. The thorax of a beetle is, we read, “divided into three seg- 
ments, fused together ” ; “ the maxilUe of Lucauidie are generally large and pro- 
jecting like antlers,” and in the genus Procrtistes the “ front tibia ” are furnished 
“ with three expanded joints in the males,” while under the genus Triplax we 
have this curious fact stated — “ antennie with three terminal joints.” 
With what object so many of the smaller species of beetles are supposed to be 
represented on the plates of this book, it is difficult to conjecture, for we can 
hardly imagine there was any desire to encourage the passing craze for guessing 
at picture puzzles, especially as we do not find that prizes are offered for the 
best solutions. C. J. G. 
The name of the White Knight’s song was called “ Haddocks' Eyes," the name 
really was “ The Aged, Aged A/an." The song was called “ Ways and Means" 
but that’s only what it was called. The song really was, “ A-sitting on a Gate." 
Poor Alice was quite bewildered by this precise discrimination insisted upon by 
the WTiite Knight, and she would have been equally puzzled by Mr. Walker 
Miles’s new little pedestrian guide-book. The name presumably is correctly 
stated on the title-page, but it is called otherwise on the cover. The book is 
called West Kent Appendix, No. 2, but it really is Field-Path Rambles, Series 
xiv. However, Alice will probably get the right book if she asks for Along the 
Medway (R. E. Taylor and Son, 19, Old Street, E.C.). It costs but sixpence, 
and describes a number of delightful walks in the neighbourhood of Tunbridge 
Wells. The routes are described in a clear and practical manner — Mr. Miles’s 
own invention — which has repeatedly been praised in this Magazine, and which 
is a notable contrast to the perplexing titles of the book itself. A. G. 
The Country Month by Month, by J. A. Owen and Prof. G. S. Boulger, 
with notes by Lord Lilford. London : Bliss, Sands & Co. [no date], in 4 volumes, 
3s. fid. each. While this work was passing through its first edition in monthly 
volumes, we took frequent occasion to refer to it in terms of praise, and we are 
glad to welcome its re-issue in a new form. Gilt edges and pretty covers render 
the book additionally attractive, although we do not admire the division on the 
back of one of them of the monosyllable “spring ” into two parts, “ SPR- ING.” 
Some notes by Lord Lilford, made when the book first appeared, are appended 
to each month, but do not add materially to the value of the work. They some- 
times partake of the nature of question and answer. Thus Lord Lilford says, 
“ Surely you cannot mean to say that nightingales feed on peas and beans ? ” 
To which Mrs. Owen replies: “I ought to have said they go to fields where 
peas and beans are planted in search of their food.” This kind of thing seems to 
us unnecessary, but if corrections or additions were to have been made, we think 
it might have been well to take note of the suggestions we offered in our various 
notices of the book. None of these seem to have received attention ; the volumes 
ate simply reprinted, even the original pagination being retained. The Country 
Month by Afonth remains, however, the best book of its kind ; a very little more 
care would have made it as good as it could possibly be. 
Farm, and Garden Insects, by William Somerville, D.Sc. (Man.), D.Sc. 
(Dun.), B.Sc. (Edin.), F.R.S.E., F.L.S. ; with 46 illustrations. (Macmillan: 
i2mo, pp. 127, price is.) This is the cheapest little manual of injurious insects 
which we have seen, and being written by an author who appears to be well up 
to his subject, and is as comprehensive in its scope as its size will permit, it ought 
to have a large circulation. It is divided into nineteen sections ; the first eight 
deal with general subjects relating to the characteristics and classification of 
