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Allegheny, Pa., May 31st, 1888. 

 Editor Entomologica Americana. 



Dear Sir : — Permit me to make a few remarks on a paper in the 

 April number of Ento. Am., "Thoroughness in Entomological Tables," 

 which I read with some amazement. The writer, as I interpred it, ex- 

 hibits the Classification of the Coleoptera of North America, the various 

 tables of genera, synopses, &c. , as examples of synthetic work, not very 

 perfect however; and classes their several authors as "Synthesists with a 

 philanthropic desire," etc. 



A greater misconception can scarcely be imagined and how it oc- 

 cured is outside of my apprehension, but there it is in printers' ink. 



The slate of Coleopterological Science in this or any other country, 

 as is well known, does not permit more than the feeblest attempts at syn- 

 thetic work ; Dr. Leconte tried a single genus — Nebria, Lee, U. S. Geol. 

 Surv. Bui. 4, No. 2, p. 473. 



' In Europe, the learned Dr. D. Sharp, after giving an exhaustive 

 analysis of the DytiscidcB of the world, tried his hand at a synthetic ex- 

 hibition. Any one desirous of seeing Analysis and Synthesis in one view 

 would do well to consult this scholarly memoir. 



Again, the author has trouble with a hypothetical Badister which he 

 can not trace to the proper genus by the tables in the Classification, page 

 21, without resorting to a lengthy empirical process. How he expected 

 to gain the desired end from what he declares a synthetic composition by 

 an analytical method is not very evident, but he states the scheme would 

 work well enough, if the tables were "longer and more complex" and if 

 every thing else was right. In school pupils are reprimanded for offering 

 a criticism without the proper correction. Were the author to present a 

 sample of some coleopterological work as he conceives it should be done 

 for comparison with that done by others, the value of the two systems or 

 plans could be better estimated. If, as he says, "the present method of 

 tabular statements of genera and species inflicts such great incon- 

 venience and loss of time upon our students," and the author knows of 

 a better as he intimates, by giving Science the benefit of his discovery all 

 would cordially recognize in him a benefactor, and especially the writer. 

 A single genus would do as a sample, as Brachynus ; or a small family 

 might be exhibited, say the HeteroceridcB or the Cioidce, all of which are 

 as yet virgin soil as it were — unoccupied territory. The above is not 

 written in the spirit of captious cridcism but as a candid expression of 

 the opinion of the writer on the points treated of 



Yours &c. , 



John Hamilton. 



