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Volume 26, Number 2
123
BOOK REVIEWS
Centurie de Lepidopteres de l'ile de Cuba, by Ph. Poey. 1832. I-XII + (1) - (4) + [1-50], 20 coloured plates. Reprinted "1970" [1971] by E. W. Classey Ltd., Hampton, Middlesex. Distributed exclusively in North America by Entomological Reprint Specialists, P.O. Box 77971, Dockweiler Station, Los Angeles, California 90007. Price $30.00 U.S.
This is another in the series of excellent reproductions of significant entomological books being produced by E. W. Classey Limited. The original has long been excessively rare. Though it contains descriptions and figures of only 20 species, the work having lapsed after the publication of the first two "decades" of the "Centurie," the selection is of such common, interesting or striking forms that the work has commanded widespread attention. Such well-known species as Eumaeus atala, Phoebis orbis, Cocytius duponchel and Eurema dina were described here for the first time and five genera were described as new, including the pyraustine genus Syllepis, of which I have had the pleasure of describing several new species in recent years, and Acrolophus, now recognized as the type-genus of the family Acrolophidae.
The reproduction appears excellent, though I do not have a copy of the original available for comparison. Care has been taken to work from an example with a good set of plates; one or two inaccuracies have been introduced in the course of partly correcting deterioration in the original pigments, but these are carefully noted in the introduction. The letterpress is clear and clean, though the texture of the paper is somewhat unpleasantly smooth and plastic-like. The introduction by C. F. Cowan is concise but scholarly and informative and has been combined harmoniously by the typesetters with the main text. The cloth binding is neat and attractive, but some will find the chrome yellow dust jacket, with white bands and red lettering and ornament, somewhat overpowering.
The price may seem rather high for a volume dealing with so few species, but considering the historical importance and previous scarcity of the work and the good quality of the reproduction, the market will undoubtedly justify the publisher's judgment.
Eugene Munroe, Entomology Research Institute, Canada Department of Agriculture, Ottawa.
A Monograph of the Ithomiidae ( Leptjdoptera ). Part IV. The Tribe Napeo-genini Fox, by Richard M. Fox and Herman G. Real. 1971. 368 p., 352 fig. Memoirs of the American Entomological Institute, Number 15.
The Napeogenini exhibit Miillerian mimicry and parallel evolution. The relationships of individual species are so complicated that identification by non-specialists has been almost impossible in the past. This reference book provides keys to all of the species and subspecies and should open up this tribe of butterflies to the non-specialist. To somebody who has not previously worked with the Ithomiidae, the keys may appear complicated at first, but considering the insects that they deal with, I think they should prove more than satisfactory to most users.
The monograph treats 7 genera, 104 species and over 300 subspecies. One genus, Aremfoxia, is described as new, along with 12 new species and 30 new subspecies. Each species and subspecies is described and keyed, and most are depicted in black and white plates. Annotation includes citations of original descriptions, synonymies and distributional data. Biological data (life histories, behavior, habitats, etc.) are at a minimum.
To fully appreciate this monograph, some knowledge of the extenuating circumstances surrounding its publication is required. With the manuscript about 75% com-