TAXONOMY. 



united into one genus. If, for example, genera might be formed from 

 mere outline, we might readily form new genera in the large family of 

 the Elaterodea, from the figure of the prothorax, which would be 

 equally inadmissible. There are, iu fact, among the Elaters, as well 

 as among their close allies the Buprestes, several natural genera, but 

 we much doubt whether the many genera of Elater.i recently con- 

 structed by Eschscholz *, from the form of the tarsal joints, may be 

 considered as natural. 



328. 



The second by-way we find to have been pursued chiefly by the 

 older entomologists ; but it originated in the nature of the thing when 

 but few species were known, and thence their family characters were 

 adopted as generic characters. Thus all the Linnsean, and many of 

 the Fabrician genera have become families, and the divarications 

 they were either not acquainted with, or did not regard, have never 

 supplied the characters of genera. 



329. 



It may be asked how are these by-ways to be avoided ? 



It has often been considered that exactitude and acuteness were the 

 qualities that gave a right to found genera. Indeed, every naturalist 

 who is deficient in these qualifications will vainly endeavour to 

 form new genera, and never produce anything useful : but, on the 

 opposite side, is every considerate and acute observer competent to 

 found new true genera ? We should even here doubt constant success. 

 A judicious eye corrected by experience, an equally secure feeling of 

 the value of the discovered differences, as well as the conviction that 

 only natural genera may be admitted, are the qualifications that com- 

 bine to form the happy talent in which we may repose unconditional 

 confidence in the formation of genera. This talent, which, by the 

 exercise of years, may be extraordinarily increased, was especially and 

 distinctly exhibited in Fabricius and Illiger, but in the former it 

 decreased with increasing age, whence many of the genera he last con- 

 structed are devoid of naturalness ; whereas Illiger rejoiced in its com- 

 plete perfection throughout the whole of his indeed short but very active 

 career. This happy talent, or, as it may be called, judicious tact, is 



* See Thorn's Avcliiv., vol. ii. part i. p. 31, &c. 



