i88o.J Analyses of Books. 7*3 
conceive the design as produced by the transfusion or application 
of a colour either from the thorax or from the coverings of the 
win°-s. But in some cases we find the underside of the wings 
patternless, and in others marked with a design totally different 
from that of the upper. This especially holds good with the 
hind-wings. Thus in V. Atalanta the fore- wings exhibit the 
same general features on both surfaces, whilst the under surface 
of the hind-wing presents a design not reducible to that of the 
upper surface. Do not the colouring secretions enter the wing 
from within and become deposited on its upper and under surfaces 
according to laws still to be discovered ? 
On the local variation of inseas— especially butterflies— the 
author has brought together a great mass of interesting and sug- 
gestive observations, a large portion of which is original. He 
describes the seasonable varieties, those due to climates,, to 
latitude, altitude, the proximity of the sea, geological formation, 
the neighbourhood of towns, and the aaion of the unnatural 
atmospheres here often encountered. He quotes the remarkable 
fac5t that from a dark female Trephrosia crepuscularia the off- 
spring in the first generation were one-half dark and one-half 
pale.* In the second batch, the produce of dark parentage, they 
were dark in the ratio of two to one, and the third generation 
were all alike dark. 
It is with regret that we must thus prematurely break ott our 
examination of this work, valuable not merely as a good over- 
sight of modern results in what may be called philosophic 
entomology, but as pointing out in what directions the student 
may usefully direCt his labours. 
The question may of course be raised whether a plainer and 
quieter style, with less of poetical quotations and classical allu- 
sions, would not have been more suitable to the subjedt. We 
find, too, numerous typographical errors, such as Vitis Graber, 
passim for Vitus Graber, anthropods for arthropods, C. cantenu- 
latus for C. catenulatus , chloric for hydrochloric, Calopterus for 
Caloptenus, & c. . . 
We cannot conclude without expressing our obligation to Mr. 
Swinton for the great pleasure we have derived from the perusal 
of his work. 
Annual Report of the Smithsonian Institution , showing the 
Operations , Expenditure , and Condition of the Institution 
for the year 1878. 
The principal features of this volume include a biographical 
memoir of the illustrious physicist Joseph Henry, drawn up by 
