vni 



in ignorance of the lab .>rs of their Knropcan contemporaries; and 

 although they ni:iy have discovered many curious and valuable facts 

 r>-]'. -cling i'ur native insects, they must resign to foreigners tlic honor 

 of making known the objects of their investigation." 



Kntomology has been retarded in America by the want of the 

 name-- of American species. That traditional knowledge is wanted 

 which prevails to such an extent in Europe that it is necessary for 

 but few to consult the works of Linnaeus or Fabricius for a native 

 species. This traditional acquaintance makes that a certainty in 

 Europe which is extremely doubtful in America. Many of the Ea- 

 brician species must stand upon no better authority than common 

 consent, with the results of which Americans have not been made 

 acquainted ; so that they are in the condition that European ento- 

 mologists would occupy, if their collections of named specimens had 

 been transferred to foreign countries before the present knowledge of 

 them had been acquired, or the extended descriptions and iconogra- 

 phies prepared. 



The descriptions of new species which were referred directly to the 

 Society, were published in the most liberal manner by the Academy 

 of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, whose facilities for distribution 

 are greater than those of the Society. 



Texas, California, and even the older parts of the United States, 

 have furnished species still undescribed, which, of course, could not 

 be ineludcd. No great disadvantage will, however, result from this, 

 heeau.-e, the great mass of the species being once catalogued, it will 

 be very easy to make future accessions to the list. 



To render the Catalogue as useful as possible, references have been 

 made to descriptions of the species, which, with the list of works 

 cited, will go far toward supplying the place of a general work upon 

 the subject. The synonymy, and in some cases the genera, are to be 

 regarded as indications requiring the revision of the monographist, 

 rather than as a final determination. 



F. E. .M. 



[The dvlay in publication, fnun necessary causes, having rendered 

 the original manuscript somewhat imperfect, additions have been 

 made, \\hieli, s u far as known to us, include all species published up 

 ' .1. miiary, lx")i>. In cases where a synopsis or monograph of any 



