1880 .] 
95 
chinks in dry walls ’), while within a stone’s throw of tho same localities their 
neighbours in nooks protected from the wind are flying freely. The flashes of light 
are maintained at the ordinary rate of intermission after the insect has alighted, and 
when it is caught in a hat ; but if it is held between tho finger and thumb their 
fiequency is greatly increased. Within the cyanide bottle the beetle at first continues 
to flash ; but within a few seconds after being placed there, the light gleams steadily 
without interruption, gradually dying away pari pass'd with the insect. 
At the end of April fire-flies were only just beginning to appear at Cintra, and 
therefore were few in number. At no time did I see them anywhere in throngs ; 
consequently my notes exclusively refer to the behaviour of individual specimens in 
solitude. A. E. Eaton, 51, Park Koad, Bromley, Kent : August 7th, 1880. 
Hermit. 
Illustrations of Typical Specimens of Lepidoptera Heterocera in 
the Collection of the British Museum. Part IT. North American Tortricidce. 
By Lord Walsingham. London: printed by order of the Trustees, 1879. 4to, 
pp. 84, and 17 Plates. 
This work is without doubt one of the most valuable contributions to our 
knowledge of the North American Tortricidce that has hitherto appeared. His 
lordship has not only described a large number of new species from our Pacific Coast, 
but has also re-described the North American species of the Tortricidce published by 
Francis Walker, giving colored figures of all. 
Of the work of Mr. Walker I have no need to speak, since his entomological 
writings have been most fully discussed, not only by American and Gferman but also 
by English entomologists themselves. Many Micro-Lepidopterists have quite disre- 
garded his species because his descriptions are so very faulty, but Lord Walsingham 
come3 in with this most timely contribution and makes us acquainted with Walker’s 
species of the Tortricidce from North America, and it is sincerely hoped that he will 
continue the work so well and auspiciously commenced, until he has re-published all 
of Walker’s species of the Micro-Lepidoptera from whatever country. 
To one who has examined Walker’s types, it will be a matter of surprise that 
so great a degree of accuracy has been obtained, for many of the typical specimens 
in the British Museum, described by Walker, are so badly denuded that they ought 
never to have been described at all. The imperfection and unnaturalness of some of 
the illustrations are doubtless to be accounted for in this way. 
The system of classification laid down by Heinemann has been adopted with 
some modifications ; but with all the imperfections of that system, it is, without 
doubt, in the direction of a more complete and natural classification for the Tor- 
tricidce than has been presented by others. 
There can be no doubt that a step has been taken in the right direction, in 
raising the sub-genera of Heinemann to generic position, which has already been done 
in part by Wocke and others. 
On the orthography of certain names there will, no doubt, be a difference of 
opinion. Many agree with Prof. Zeller in changing the spelling of a word from 
that given by the original author to one more consistent with the derivation, and 
Lord Walsingham, in a letter just received by me, says, “I shall be grateful to you 
