PREFACE. 



The origin of this attempt at a Classification of 

 the Lamellicorns, may probably be traced to my in- 

 terleaved copies of the Systema Naturse of Linneus, 

 and the Systema Eleutheratorum of Fabricius, in 

 which for some years past I have been in the habit 

 of noting down any remarks which occurred to me, 

 while grouping and arranging my collection. The 

 suggestion of a friend, accompanied by a letter 

 urging the request, induces me to give to the Public 

 the results of these observations, and I trust that, 

 however imperfect or even faulty this Manual may 

 appear, it yet may be the means of enabling the 

 Student to name the Linnean and Fabrician species 

 of his collection with more facility and accuracy 

 than can be derived from any Entomological work 

 hitherto published. Entomology in Europe at the 

 present day is making rapid progress, and it must 

 be a source of regret to the real lover of science, 



