22 JULY 1871, Page 20

An Illustrated Natural History of British Butterflies, by Edward Norman

(Tweedie), will take its place as a book of the highest authority on this subject. The form, habits, and localities of every British buttofly are carefully deseribed (we noticed some time ago the author's work on "British Moths"), and a preface gives some useful hints to the young collector. The book has a charm, besides its scientific value, in

the very pleasant style in which it is written ; and its moderate price, for the sake of which the luxury of colour—for with careful descriptions it is a luxury—has boon sacrificed, puts it within easy reach. We shall leave our readers to make acquaintanoo with the volume for themselves, giv- ing them by the way a hint about the "Purple Emperor," a prizo which every collector considers his spolinni opimum. Our young friends need not risk Choir necks by climbing up to the top of the tallest oaks in England. Lot them nail a dead weasel to the trunk.—Professor 1SL Dumau's elaborate work on the Transformations of Insects (Cassell and Co.) deserves h more detailed uotloo than, for the present at least, we are able to give it. It is mainly an adaptation from M. Emile Blanehard's "Metamorphoses, Mears, et Instincts des Insects," while other authorities have also been carefully consulted.—A. smaller work, which the student of entomology will find very useful, Is British Insects, by E. F. Stavely (L. Reeve).