PREFACE. VU 



best plan first to tabulate the species at the head of each genus, and tlien 

 to describe thian separately afterwards : at tlie same time the tabular 

 arrangement is often more or less artificial, and by no means satisfactory 

 in all cases ; it must, therefore, be always taken in conjunction with the 

 descriptions, and not apart from them : in some genera (e.g. MijUcena) 

 where the differences are obviously comparative, and hardly capable of 

 being expressed in succinct terms, I have not hesitated to omit the 

 tables altogether, and in others (e.g. Ili/drnjjorus) I have given them 

 with great reserve. 



I should like to observe that any student who intends to study 

 Coleoptera should first acquire a knowledge of the general forms of the 

 particular families, tribes, and groups by reference to a good collec- 

 tion or to figures ; it is impossiljle to obtain this from mere descriptions, 

 which are only of real practical use after this superficial knowledge has 

 been obtained. It" is quite erroneous to suppose that any beetle can be 

 named straight ofl" from a book by a dichotomous system, by any 

 person who does not possess some general knowledge of its position in 

 the order. 



In a work like the present, in which so many details have to be 

 examined into and verified, and many thousand references to localities 

 collected and tabulated, it is impossible to avoid some errors and in- 

 accuracies ; I have, however, endeavoured to be as accurate as possible, 

 and shall be very much obliged if any person who peruses it Avill 

 kindly inform me of any errors, Avith a view to their correction. I may 

 perhaps be allowed in conclusion to add that it has been written at odd 

 times, often amidst constant interruptions, and during the intervals of 

 close ordinary work. I hope, however, that it may, at all events, prove 

 of some help towards encouraging the study of our native Coleoptera. 



The School Housk, Lincoln, 

 JVov. 1880. 



