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CHAPTER V. 



BOOKS USEFUL TO THE STUDENT OF BEITISH 

 COLEOPTEEA. 



With regard to the books likely to be of real use to 

 the student^ it is to be regretted that there are none on 

 British Coleoptera exclusively, or in English, that can be 

 recommended. There is, indeed, a ' Manual of British 

 Coleoptera,' by J. F. Stephens (London, 1839, one vol.), 

 purporting to describe all our species; but it is so full 

 of error, and the nomenclature is so confused, as to be 

 of little or no use. The 'Illustrations of British En- 

 tomology : Mandibulata,' (1828,) by the same author, 

 with plates, comes under the same heading; and there 

 only remains the 'Genera of British Insects,' by Curtis, 

 of which the letter-press is of little use, but the figures 

 remain unrivalled for beauty of finish. There are, how- 

 ever, many scattered papers by English authors, of 

 great value; and these, with descriptions of limited 

 groups by foreign writers, will be noticed hereafter. 



For general information and reference, the ' Intro- 

 duction to the Modern Classification of Insects,* by 

 J. O. Westwood (London, 1839), is still unequalled, and 

 must be consulted by all beginners; and Burmeister's 

 ' Manual of Entomology,' translated by Mr. Shuckard 

 (London, 1836), will be found of great service on struc- 



