Bibliographical Notices. 41 



*> 



had been an Illustrated " Genera of Insects ;" but the vast increase 

 of materials induced him, on commencing his work, to limit it to the 

 Genera of British Insects. His views of the utility of such an un- 

 dertaking are thus expressed : — 



"That the investigation of genera must be of the first importance cannot 

 be denied, for without a knowledge of such groups, it is impossible for any 

 one to gain a correct knowledge of species ; as well might a person expect 

 to be able to write before he had learned the first rudiments of a language, 

 or to solve a problem, being ignorant of the principles of mathematics. If 

 this be admitted, it is unnecessary to dwell much upon the importance of 

 having genera correctly investigated and described. This has been at- 

 tempted in the present undertaking, and although I have selected the works 

 of my lamented friend Latreille as a model, Nature has been my guide ; for 

 with the exception of some of the caterpillars, living examples of which it 

 was impossible to obtain, and a very few of the dissections, every figure has 

 been drawn from the life or from preserved specimens, and the descriptions 

 have been taken from actual investigations of the various parts of the 

 animals." 



As to system and arrangement, Mr. Curtis differs from those who 

 have founded them solely upon one set of characters, employed al- 

 most to the exclusion of all others ; alleging that, although in dif- 

 ferent Orders their value essentially varies, " a truly philosophic 

 system must be based on all that are available, and which conse- 

 quently must be derived from various sources. " 



With regard to the scope of his work, Mr. Curtis adds, 

 " I have studied to give one or more examples, sometimes amounting to 

 forty of each family, never losing sight of the Linnsean and Fabrician genera, 

 all of which, I believe, as far as native groups are concerned, have been 

 illustrated, and also a very large portion of the genera of other eminent 

 authors, especially of Latreille, Olivier, Schonherr, Leach, Dejean, Graven- 

 horst, Kirby, Jurine, Hubner, Treitschke, Germar, Fallen, Meigen, and 

 most of the new and remarkable types that have been discovered during the 

 last twenty years." 



Mr. Curtis has called in the aid of Botany in order to give ad- 

 ditional interest to his Plates, each of which contains, along with the 

 insect which is the subject of it, the representation of a British plant, 

 — often that upon which the insect is found. 



" The value also of correct figures of wild specimens of our native plants 

 to the entomologist, as well as the beauty which they must always give to 

 a drawing have made me very desirous to render this department as inter- 

 esting and useful as I could ; and through the generous contributions of nu- 

 merous friends and my own exertions, I am happy to find that this portion 

 of the work is not viewed with indifference, even by botanists." 



