Introduction 5 



terisks. Thus the three asterisks always denote the end of a re- 

 vision or of a subgenus, or of a special rearrangement of genera 

 as mentioned in a footnote. 



One of the characteristics of human endeavor is the occasional 

 mistake that is almost inevitably to be found. The most concen- 

 trated effort will not prevent a few errors from marring any work. 

 These are generally taken for granted and are scarcely noticed un- 

 less they are present in unusual numbers. While examining the 

 sources of the present compilation, the writer was forced to the con- 

 clusion that an entirely disproportionate number of the errors in 

 our taxonomic papers on beetles has been made by a relatively small 

 number of workers. For the most part these are errors due to care- 

 ilessness or indifference, and they usually result from failure to as- 

 certain all the facts or from one's being in too great a hurry to get 

 papers published. A few of these are mentioned in footnotes in the 

 text. Among the more common and very unfortunate errors may 

 be mentioned the following: The renaming of preoccupied genera 

 zxid species for which there was already one or more available names; 

 .failure to give the author of a homonym an opportunity to rename 

 it; changing the name of a genus or species because of page preced- 

 ence; citing a synonym in parenthesis between the generic and speci- 

 fic names, as Mylabrts (Bruchus) atomus, where Bruchus is not 

 used as a subgenus: failure to follow the Rules strictly in the matter 

 of accepting or correcting the original spelling of names; and extreme 

 carelessness in giving references to older species and in the spelling 

 of the names themselves. 



Most of these errors have been copied into the supplement 

 without specific comment, but attention is directed to some by 

 footnotes. In most cases in which there have been changes made 

 by the compiler, this fact is indicated. But in general responsi- 

 bility and authority for all items are placed directly back on the 

 entomologist who published them. An exception to this state- 

 ment must be noted in the matter of the bibliographic references. 

 Many of these have been corrected by independent study, and 

 wherever there was a discrepancy the original catalog has been 

 followed (unless ample reasons have been published for the 

 change). 



Many of the entomologists whose recent work is included in 

 this supplement were kind enough to check the preliminary lists of 

 their publications. One hundred and one such lists were sent out, 

 and about 85 were returned with the necessary additions or correc- 

 tions. Many important oversights were thus corrected, and many 

 new items were contributed by these workers from their own studies. 

 Grateful acknowledgment is made to all these friends. 



