116 Probable Number of Insect Species, 



Porrigitur, digitosque ligat junctura rubentcs : 



Penna latus vestit : tenet os sine acumine rostrum : 



Fit nova Cycnus avis. Nee se cceloque, Jovique 



Credit, ut injuste missi memor ignis ab illo. 



Stagna petit, patulosque lacus : ignemque perosus, 



Qua? colat, elegit contraria flumina flammos." Met. ii. 367. 



All this is so truly ornithological, that I trust you will not 

 object to its length ; otherwise, perhaps, some of your more 

 scientific readers might enter a caveat against so much un- 

 technical Latin. I am, Sir, yours, &c. 



Godalming, Jan, 3. 1833. Rusticus. 



Art. V. On the probable Number of Species of Insects in the 

 Creation* ; together "with Descriptions of several minute Hyme- 

 noptera. By J. O. Westwood, Esq., F.L.S. &c. 



One of the most evident proofs of the increased avidity 

 with which the study of natural history has, within the last 

 few years, been cultivated, is the great increase in works 

 treating upon the various branches of that delightful science. 

 An equally convincing proof (although, from its being seldom 

 dwelt upon, it is at first sight less evident) is the immense 

 influx of novelties which has been poured into our museums 

 and cabinets since the days of Linnaeus. It is amongst the 

 smaller animals, however, especially in the insect tribes, that 

 these additions have been of the greatest extent. A few 

 remarks upon this subject may not, therefore, be deemed 

 uninteresting, involving, as it does, the numerical extent of this 

 department of nature. 



Our great and pious naturalist John Ray (" le premier 

 veritable naturaliste pour le regne animal," as the equally 

 great Cuvier has styled him), in his Wisdom of God in the 

 Works of the Creation, published at the close of the seven- 

 teenth century, tells us, respecting the number of British 

 insects : — " The butterflies and beetles are such numerous 

 tribes, that, I believe, in our own native country alone, the 

 species of each kind may amount to 150 or more. The fly 

 kind (if under that name we comprehend all the flying 



* It must be borne in mind, that the following observations do not apply 

 to the number of individuals, but to the different kinds or species of insects. 

 Those who have observed " a swarme of gnats at eventide " (which, in 

 general, consists of myriads of individuals of the same species), will at once 

 perceive how impracticable it would be to attempt to decide the former 

 question. The numerical variation, however, which exists in the different 

 species of insects, opens very interesting views of nature, and is a question 

 well worthy of the attention of the entomologist. 



