[December, 
780 Analyses of Books. 
with their habits, localities, times of arrival and of departure. 
Structural descriptions are not grden, and are the less needed 
as the illustrations are from Bewick’s designs, and need conse- 
quently no encomium. 
The protracted discussion whether the young cuckoo does 
actually ejeCt its foster-brothers or sisters from the nest is here 
decided in the affirmative. That the parent birds fail to distin- 
guish their true offspring from this interloper, or recognising him 
do not interfere, is one of those strange instances of animal 
stupidity which it is hitherto impossible to account for. Perhaps, 
however, higher beings — if modern “ advanced thought ” will 
allow that any such exist in the universe — may be equally puzzled 
with the occasional stupidity of man. It is suggested that the 
nerves and muscles of the young cuckoo must be much more 
developed than its outward appearance would warrant. Yet 
along with the direCt evidence that the cuckoo lays her eggs in 
the nests of other species (which has never been disputed), and 
that the young ejeCt the rightful tenants, it is mentioned that — 
“ In Fife, Forfar, and Tayside Mr. P. Henderson, from personal 
observation, has frequently found cuckoos’ breasts bare of fea- 
thers, as if from incubation, and has observed the old birds 
feeding their own young.” It would be interesting to inquire 
whether in none of the fifty-seven species of birds intruded upon 
the young have developed a means of defence against the opera- 
tions of the nestling cuckoo ? 
Mr. Harting’s work ought to be in the hands of every student 
of British Ornithology, and will prove an incitement to ob- 
servation. 
Betrachtungen ubev die Entwick elungs-G eschichte dev Schwettev - 
linge und deren Variation . By A. Keferstein. Erfurt : 
Carl Villaret. 
We find here, in the unpretending form of a pamphlet of 
1 16 pages, a colleaion of fadts connefted with the development 
and variation of Lepidopterous insedts. Much of the informa- 
tion here given is rare and curious, not to be met with in ordinary 
entomological treatises, and has been seledted by the author 
from the transaaions of learned societies with great care and 
diligence. He surveys these inseas in their four successive 
phases of egg, larva, pupa, and imago. Under the first of these 
heads he mentions the faa that cases of viviparous reproduaion, 
though decidedly exceptional, are not unknown among moths 
(Tinea, Oeketicus). He mentions that the eggs of different 
species of the same genus do not appear to be similar in form, 
those, e.g of Vanessa Polychloros being smooth and bottle- 
