Fauna Boreali-Americana. 385 



which both their capture and preservation are effected. In or- 

 der to make the work as complete an index of Arctic Ento- 

 mology as possible, the various species described by Fabricius, 

 Curtis, Children, and himself elsewhere, are enumerated. 



Leaving the details of mere technical specific and generic 

 descriptions, we shall call the attention of our readers to what 

 may be rather considered as the philosophy of the volume. — 

 In doing this we are convinced that they will regard with as 

 high a degree of respect as ourselves, the views now first in- 

 troduced by the veteran entomologist, although, in common 

 with us, they may peradventure not entirely coincide with 

 them. Coming from the pen of a writer who has not looked 

 upon nature with the mere superficial eye of the specific de- 

 scriber or collector, every suggestion, being the result of deep 

 thought, and careful research, is entitled to the most serious 

 consideration. 



After some introductory remarks upon the advantages de- 

 rivable to natural science, from expeditions having science 

 alone for their object, the author makes some observations 

 upon the natural arrangement of the objects of nature, which 

 are completely opposed to the modem views of several of our 

 most eminent naturalists. "Whoever," he observes, "consi- 

 ders the infinite ramifications of the animal and vegetable 

 kingdoms, the vast number of groups, differing in rank and 

 value, and rolling, wheel within wheel, almost ad infinitum, 

 of which each consists ; may readily conceive that the forma- 

 tion of a numerical system, whether the number assumed as 

 the regulator be two, three, four, five, or seven, is a labour of 

 no very difficult accomplishment : but to construct it so that 

 the groups of each section, from the primary to the ultimate, 

 shall be equal or nearly equal in value, which alone can prove 

 that it is the system of the Creator, — hie labor, hoc opus est" 

 And in a subsequent page he continues : — "Whether we con- 

 sider the productions of our globe, in all their affinities, as 

 best represented by a branching tree, a net, or a sphere form- 

 ed of an infinity of larger and smaller orbits, connected on 

 every side, and placed, ad infinitum, wheel within wheel ; — 

 if we set ourselves to arrange and describe upon paper the 

 individuals composing any department of the three kingdoms, 

 we shall find that it is above us, either to conceive or deline- 

 ate it, so as to maintain all its connections undisturbed and 

 unbroken. We must do it in a series, which can only be a 

 series of mutilations and dislocations. It will be like cutting 

 off every branch and twig of the tree, to place them end to 

 end ; like tearing up the net, to place all the meshes one af- 

 ter the other ; like blowing up the sphere, and unravelling r as 



m m 2 



