REVIEWS. 
85 
had learnt a few elementary lessons in arithmetic. A little ordinary care 
would have prevented such oversights as this, which impart an appearance 
of haste and slovenliness, by no means advantageous to such a work as the 
present professes to be. 
As for the plates, we do not, on the whole, think them an advance on 
the prior edition; they are sometimes harshly executed, though these are 
the exceptions, and occasionally they even have the advantage of them pre¬ 
decessors. The desire of economizing both space and price has sometimes, 
also, we think, carried the author too far— e.g., so fine and striking an 
insect as Aporia cratsegi, and such a rarity as P. daplidice, deserve 
more than a half-view of the under side (which is all we are favoured 
with), especially while we have full-sized portraits of much commoner and 
in no way striking insects, as Pieris Brassiere, &c. On the other hand, 
we have several interesting figures of gynandromorphous specimens, parti¬ 
cularly a most remarkable one of Argynnis paphia, which mingles not only 
the male and female characters, but those, also, of the type and the 
variety. Such figures add greatly to the interest of the work. 
Although, therefore, taken as a whole, this book is but a re-issue, it 
presents many of the features and possesses many of the advantages of a 
new work; and, in spite of sundry incidental defects, it may be considered 
as representing the latest, most matured, and, therefore, most valuable 
opinions of a man than whom few could be found more competent to dis¬ 
charge the office which he has here undertaken, and, we doubt not, it will 
be appreciated accordingly. 
In taking leave we would suggest to Mr. Westwood that he would 
confer a great benefit on British entomologists if he would subject the 
remaining volumes of the original work—viz., British Moths and their 
Transformations—to the same process of revision and re-issue through 
which the butterflies have passed. He would find much more to do in 
that field, of which our knowledge has increased more rapidly, because, 
probably, there was more to be known—consequently, more changes have 
taken place, and a more complete work than we, as yet, possess, is some¬ 
what imperatively called for. We sincerely hope that the success of his 
recent labours will be such as to encourage him to go through with the 
re-issue, and that speedily. 
