158 Wilson and Du?ican*s Entomolosia Edinensis 



to* 



travels in America and in Russia, and by his entomological 

 researches) is an insect taken by M. Menetries, in July, at 

 Schadach, to the east of Caucasus, at the height of more than 

 9000 ft., and near to the region of perpetual snow. In 

 affinity, its place is between the genera Podisma and Gompho- 

 cerus, according to the method of M. Audinet-Serville. Its 

 antennae are so compressed as to form two lanceolate leaves ; 

 and M. Fischer would have named it Phyllocerus, but that 

 Dejean has previously used this word as a name to a coleop- 

 terous genus. The external anatomy of the insect is de- 

 scribed in detail. A figure of the insect, and others of its 

 parts magnified, are appended. 



Wilson, James,Y.R.S. E.M.W.S.,&c.andZ)Mwc««,Rev.J5;. J., 

 M. W.S. : Entomologia Edinensis; or, a Description and 

 History of the Insects found in the Neighbourhood of 

 Edinburgh. Coleoptera. 8vo, 352 pages, 2 plates. Black- 

 wood, Edinburgh ; Cadell, London ; 1 834. 



We, of the multitude, have been long enough, ay, far too 

 long, excluded from the pleasure of making ourselves ac- 

 quainted with the names and entomological associations con- 

 nected with insects. How so ? Because insects have been 

 named, described, and figured, partly in this work, partly 

 in that, and partly in all the rest of the works ; so that only 

 those who could buy or make access to the majority of those 

 which constitute the bibliotheca entomologica could acquaint 

 themselves with all the names for, and descriptions of, insects 

 which entomological naturalists, from Aristotle to those of 

 ISS^, have invented and elaborated. A better state of things 

 is now dawning upon us. The work whose title is given 

 above is, as far as we know, the very herald of it. We hail 

 its appearance with true pleasure, and truly hope that our 

 insect-loving friends will, as ourselves, " therefore as a 

 stranger give it welcome ! " Not that it addresses itself to 

 our regard on its strangerhood alone, but, over and above its 

 attractiveness on this ground, also on its own (so we think) 

 most valid merits. 



" A whole is greater than a part ; " so the Coleoptera of 

 the Edinburgh neighbourhood are not tantamount to the 

 Coleoptera of Britain. No : but they, doubtless, are so in a 

 good degree, at least in relation to the families and the genera; 

 but herein, kind fellow students, consists, we think, the value 

 of the book ; not in enabling us to trace out and ascertain the 

 7iame of any and every British beetle we may meet with, 

 ** and there an end ; '' but (and far better is this faculty 



