InS. 1 
INSECTA. ' 
By D. Sharp. 
Although the results of much investigation have been published in 
1886, as is indicated by the large number of titles, yet no work of much 
extent or importance on systematic entomology has appeared during the 
year, Sely’s revision (652) of part of one of the tribes of dragon-flies 
being the chief. A great deal of attention has been given to the 
development of the egg in the ovary, and an important paper has been 
published by Korschelt (369) on this subject, which has also been eluci- 
dated by Stuhlmann (690), Blochmanti (58), Will (740), and others. 
A very extensive memoir on the interesting but still very obscure 
subject of the luminosity of Pyrophorus , the firefly of America, has 
boon given us by Dubois (154), and Heinemaun has also paid much atten- 
tion (281) to this subject. 
Perhaps the most remarkable work of tho yoar is the third series of 
Fabre’s “Souvenirs Entomologiques ” (173). This contains the results of 
a large number of minute but long-continued observations and ingenious 
experiments on the habits and instincts of Insects. It is written with 
great literary skill, and, though from certain points of view imperfect, 
will be read with pleasure by all entomologists and by some with keen 
delight. 
Forel’s (209) memoir, besides giving original observations of much 
importance on the senses and intelligence of Insects, may be accepted as 
a good summing-up of recent views on this subject ; and Wasman has 
published (722) some observations on the very curious relations between 
ants and the beetles that inhabit their nests. 
Poultou’s (560, 561) and Sasaki’s (630) memoirs contain matter of con- 
siderable biological interest ; and W. Muller’s study of the caterpillars of 
the Nymphalidce (475) is a great addition to entomological knowledge. 
Redtenbacher’s (581) paper on the wings of Insects is the most com- 
prehensive one that has yet appeared on that apparently simple, but 
really very difficult subject ; and Scudder’s review of Palseo-entomology 
(647) is a great boon to readers of English. 
In faunistic work much progress has been mado with some of the 
volumes of Godman & Salvin’s “ Biologia Ceutrali- Americana ” (247), 
and Distant (142) has completed his work on the Malay butterflies. 
