﻿of Lucanoid Coleoptera. 3 



especially to its classification and general arrangement ; their 

 names, already familiar to the Entomologist, are as follow : — 



Latreille (Cuvier, Regne Animal, iv. 57 6). 



M'Leay (Horse Entomologicse, i. 195). 



Westvvood (Ann. Sci. Nat. Ser. 2, i. 112(1834); Modern 

 Classification of Insects, i. 185; Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 

 iv. 271 ; N. S. iii. 197). 



Hope (Catalogue of Lucanoid Coleoptera, 1845). 



Burmeister (Handbuch der Entomologie, v. 305, 1847). 



Lacordaire (Genera des Coleopteres, iii. 1). 



Brulle (Hist. Nat. des Insectes, tom. 3). 



Leconte (Classification of Coleoptera of North America 

 (Smithsonian Instit.), p. 120). 

 The most important collections of the species of this division 

 are to be found in the cabinets of Count Mniszech and Mr. 

 Thomson at Paris (the latter especially interesting as including 

 the species from the collections of Count Dejean, M. Laferte and 

 M. Reiche), in the British Museum, and in the cabinets of the late 

 Rev. F. W. Hope (so liberally presented to the University of 

 Oxford) and Mr, W. W. Saunders; and, lastly, in my own col- 

 lection, which contains, I believe, the largest number of species 

 ever brought together. 



With reference to the respective families it is not my intention 

 to propose any very great change in the classification ; nevertheless 

 I feel that much in this respect is still required, but it appears to 

 me that the period for such re-organization has not yet arrived, a 

 greater knowledge of species being absolutely requisite for under- 

 taking such a task. Should our collections continue to be en- 

 riched as they have been of recent years, this desirable object 

 might then be successfully undertaken, for I am convinced that it 

 is only by placing before the eye a sufficient series of the insect to 

 be described (and this is more especially true of the Lucanoid 

 Coleoptera) that a just appreciation of its general form and 

 character can be arrived at. It is vain to expect to ascertain the 

 true characters of a genus until the species shall themselves have 

 been properly established ; and the development of species so 

 peculiar in the Lucanoid Coleoptera has but too often given rise to 

 great confusion, specimens having not unfrequently been mistaken 

 by Entomologists as the types of distinct species, and described as 

 such, when in fact they were but varieties of species previously 

 known. As already stated, this, my tribute to the Society, must 

 be considered simply as a rectified catalogue, including notices, 

 descriptions and figures of various new and interesting species : 



B 2 



