224 



9 



described the insect from the cabinet of Sir Jos. Blake, where 

 also Olivier, and probably Forster, saw it. Schonherr is wronp- 

 in referring Forster's species to cinerea Fabr. Now, although 

 Forster describes his M. cinerea in 1771, and Fabricius his 

 L. marginata in 1775, yet this is one of those very rare 

 exceptions which I would make in the rule regarding priority. 

 Forster's name is evidently faulty and deceptive. The 

 Fabrician name is exceedingly pertinent, being descriptive and 

 unmistakable ; it is unnecessary to add that it has been Ion a- 

 established, for that does not make wrong right ; though in this 

 case, added to the other advantages arising from retaining it, 

 it may be allowed to have some weight. But we have a species 

 which is cinereous, and to which Forster's name may with 

 very great propriety be applied ; and since this species has 

 also long borne this truly descriptive and pertinent name, I 

 think it best to let it so remain. Hence, because the Cantliaris 

 of Clematis virginiana is a marginated species, and the 

 Cantharis of the Leguminosce (Haptisia, etc.), is a cinereous 

 species, I have been contented to let the former bear the 

 name of (7. marginata and the latter that of C. cinerea, which 

 Fabricius gave respectively to them. 



By the way, did you ever see a Brachinus clear its antenna? 

 with its forelegs? It would give you an idea of the use 

 of the deep emarginations in the anterior tibiae, which 

 are admirably calculated to assist the insect in this operation. 

 Some naturalists have conjectured that the emargination was 

 designed for sexual purposes, but it is not so, for otherwise it 

 would not exist in both sexes. 



In copying my Catalogue, I have come upon a few cor- 

 rections made by you in the names I had given, in which it 

 appears to me you were wrong, from not having examined the 

 authorities that I had consulted. I recollect only one instance 

 at this moment. It is this : " Buprestis aurulenta Linn.=s#r- 

 ata Fabr." ; you added, " not aurulenta, which is European." 

 The aurulenta of Linnaeus is really North American, and is of 



