Esca] 
XV. Descriptions, &c. of the Insects collected by Captain P. P. Kine, R.N., 
F.R.S., in the Survey of the Straits of Magellan, By Joun Curtis, Esq., 
F.L.S.; A. H. Haurpay, Esq., M.A.; and Francis WaLkEn, Esq., F.L.S. 
Read December 2nd, 1834; and May 5th, 1835. 
[CAPTAIN KING having placed in my hands his South American insects, 
in order that such as were new might be described, I have the honour of laying 
before the Linnæan Society the results of the investigation, in which I have 
been assisted by the gentlemen whose names are mentioned above as having 
kindly cooperated with me in the undertaking. 
The collection was formed along the coast from St. Paul’s in Brazil to 
Valparaiso. The splendid objects of natural history that have been found 
from time to time in Brazil and sent to Europe render it less easy to detect 
novelties in that country; but those from the opposite coast of Chili are less 
known, and I have never seen any collection from the extreme south of the 
New World excepting the present one. It is curious and interesting to trace 
the similarity that exists in many instances between the corresponding paral- 
lels of the southern and northern hemispheres, and in others to observe the 
analogues which take the place of absent types. Throughout the whole of 
South America, for example, the genus Carabus appears to be unknown, ex- 
cepting about latitude 50, where a species of that group with a narrow thorax 
has been found: the genus Culex also occurs; and many others might be no- 
ticed that not only approach, but are identical with, the typical forms of North 
America and of Europe. It may further be generally observed that the insects 
under consideration bear little resemblance to those from the Cape of Good 
Hope and the southern parts of Africa: and at the same time it may not be 
irrelevant to add, that I have been greatly surprised at the near approach 
made by many East Indian species to those of Europe, and even of England ; 
and from the few I have had an opportunity of seeing, this remark may be 
applied also to some of those from Van Diemen's Land.—J. Curtis.] 
VOL. XVII. 2T 
