20 Transactions South African Pliilosophical Society. [vol. xii. 



All the descriptions of genera and species have been made from the 

 specimens, with extremely few exceptions, and these are mentioned. 

 Genital armature of the male. — I have found that an examination 

 of the genital armature of the males cannot be dispensed with in the 

 specific study of the Scarahceidce. In many cases it is well-nigh 

 impossible to make out certain species without comparing these 

 genital organs. In certain groups, they are quite different in shape 

 in species of which the distinctive characters could otherwise be 

 ascertained only with difficulty and described with still greater 

 difficulty. But whereas in certain genera this character is of the 

 greatest importance, in others the difference in shape is almost 7;//, 

 or is not so marked as other external characters. I have had many 

 of these genital armatures figured, and I am quite sure that they 

 will prove not only useful, but even indispensable. In many cases 

 they bring forcibly to the mind the impossibility for the males of 

 certain species to successfully mate with the females of very closely 

 allied species. 



Generically the shape of these organs does not seem to have the 

 same importance. 



I have been able to compare, through the courtesy of Professor 

 Chr. Aurivilius, my material with Boheman's and Fjihroeus' types 

 and co-types ; I have also examined some species from the Harold 

 Collection now in the possession of Mons. Rene Oberthilr, in Eennes, 

 France ; Mr. R. Oberthilr has kindly consented to compare some of 

 my examples with the types in his collection; to Professor H. 

 Kolbe, of the Berlin Museum, I am indebted for the loan of some of 

 King's co-types, and for valuable information regarding other species, 

 and to Professor Bouvier of the Paris Museum for all the South 

 African types of Blanchard. Mr. 0. E. Janson, of London, has 

 helped me occasionally with his advice ; Mr. C. O. Waterhouse, of 

 the British Museum, has very kindly compared some of my examples 

 with some of his types ; and the late Dr. Candeze had placed at my 

 disposal his collection of the Hoplini collected by Drege, named b}- 

 Dejean, and described by Burmeister, and in which most of the 

 species are represented. 



Moreover, I have had a large quantity of material at my disposal 

 from nearly all parts of South Africa. 



For this material, which has taken me twenty-two years to bring 

 together, I am indebted to many correspondents, whose names are 

 always given in the introductory pages of the various parts of this 

 Catalogue as its publication proceeds. 



To Messrs. A. W. Eriksson, G. A. K. Marshall, C. N. Barker, 

 A. E. Haviland, F. C. Selous, G. Alston, the sons of the traveller 



