I 



1979.] 137 



A Cataiogtje of Coleopteea feom the Japanese Archipelago. By G-eobge 

 Lewis. Taylor & Francis : 1879, 8vo, pp. 31. 



Our old fellow-woi'ker and contributor, Mr. Lewis, whose continuous and enei'- 

 getic work, by personal collecting and otherwise, has so materially added to the 

 knowledge of the Coleopterous fauna of Japan (to which country he is once more on 

 the eve of departing — Beetles beware !), has now done a most useful thing, by putting 

 together, in orthodox catalogue form, the names of all the Coleoptera as yet recorded 

 from the Archipelago, with the more important synonymy and indications of some 

 new genera and species. The total is no less than 2227 species, comprised in 862 

 genera (92 Qeodephaga, 17 Hydradephaga, 15 Philhydrida, 78 BracTielytra, W Psela- 

 phidcB and ScydmcenidcB^ 104 Clavicorns, 9 Lucanidm, 42 Lamellicorns, 42 Sternoxi, 

 64 Malacoderms, 75 Heteromera, 127 Rhynchopkora, 71 Longicorns, 73 Chrysomelidce, 

 and 42 Languriidm, Coccinellidce, &c.). In some few instances, species receive new 

 names, viz. : — -Notiophilus impressifrons, Moravitz, 1862, nee Chaudoir, 1842, is re- 

 named niponicus ; Poecihis proUxus, Putz., 1875, nee Erichson, 1842, re-named 

 longuJiis (? Koyi, Germ., available) ; Agriotesferrugineipennis, Mots., 1866, nee Lee., 

 1861, re-named Candezei; S/iynchiies betitIeti,^lots., re-named Motscliidskyi ; Alcides 

 albo-lineaUis, Roelofs, nee Boh., re-named Roelofsi ; and Chrysomela consimilis, Baly, 

 1874, «-ec Clark, 1864 (^«i<5«Hea,Mots., 1860, wecSuifr., 1850), re-named /(KUJjJMWC^a^a- 

 The insect considered a variety of Phyllopertha horticola, L., by Mr. C. O. Water- 

 house, is raised to specific rank as P. yezoensis (presumably an ultra-pure reading of 

 the specific \\ai,Vi\e jessoensis us:d by the purist Harold), and varieties under the name 

 niponicus are respectively attributed to Opilo mollis and Sybaris pr<Bustns. 



The aphorism that no man is a prophet in his own country is effectually dis- 

 proved in this Catalogue, wherein Mr. Lewis receives due specific honour no less 

 than 53 times, in varied guise, from the correct " Lewisi " to the incomprehensible 

 " Lewisa :" to avoid further repetitions, we might suggest that some of the inevitable 

 novelties resulting from his meditated journey may receive inflections of " Ludovicus." 



The great feature of the recorded species as a whole, viz., their representing so 

 many European genera, and in very many cases being indeed specifically identical 

 with European (and even British) forms, has already been lU'ged in these columns by 

 Mr. Lewis himself, and therefore needs no further comment. 



As regards the Catalogue itself, its form and type leave nothing to be desired ; 

 but such experienced natural history printers as those whose names appear on it 

 might have reasonably been expected not to have passed errors like " Attelabrus," 

 " Bryophorus," " Lepticinus," " Keisenwetter," " Ehynoncus," or "Apteropoda" — 

 all well known names, occurring in Waterhouse's British Catalogue, printed by the 

 same firm. Some few other slips also remain for correction, e. g., Scap/iididcB, 

 ColydidcB, &c. (LagriidcB, Languriidce, &c., being properly rendered). We are glad 

 to find Mr. Lewis has the coui'age to follow Roelofs in doubling the aspirated 'r' (as 

 in Ceutkorrhynchus), except in one accidental case {Oaryrhynclitis) ; but O mal ium siiW 

 lacks its due ' H,' which is misplaced in Hopatrum. These, and a few others, are 

 however in all probability owing to the somewhat hurried manner in which circiuu- 

 stances have compelled the publication of the Catalogue, and will doubtless be put 

 right in a second edition, when increased material demands one. 



