NEW BRITISH SPECIES, ETC., IN 1863. 75 



d'nia being a caricature in potto of Blavs) : — nor wlien the 

 Scolijtidce are removed to the beginning of the Ehyncho' 

 phora, whose usual arrangement is inverted:— nor when the 

 CorylophidcE (including Alexia) are made allies to the 

 AnisotomidcB, with the TrichopterjjrjklcF to follow :— nor 

 wdien the Lathridiadce are placed between Atomaria and 

 3Iycetophafjus, and the non-predatcrial Philhydrida with 

 clavate antennas (the aquatic representatives of the Clavi- 

 cornes) are ranked next to the raptorial Dytisculce with 

 filiform anteniiEe (the aquatic typos of the Geodephaga). 



From these examples of the foreign ideas on classification 

 Ave are required to adopt, it may easily be believed (as in- 

 deed is the case) that a similar course of inversion, introduc- 

 tion, suppression and elevation, has been adopted by Mr. 

 Crotch throughout his Catalogue, insomuch that there is 

 scarcely anything left unchanged ; and although credit is 

 due to him for his intention to simplify the diinculties of 

 confiicting nomenclature by endeavouring to place our sys- 

 tem on t!ie same footing as that of Continental Entomolo- 

 msts (who are nevertheless anvthino; but unanimous on this 

 point among themselves), yet I cannot refrain from observ- 

 ing it is too evident that he wishes to depreciate English 

 V, ork ; Marsham, Kirhy, Stevens, and more recent authors, 

 being deposed in favour of foreign describers with a very 

 few exceptions throughout the Catalogue in question : and, 

 even when thus treated, stigmatized by notes of interroga- 

 tion being placed before tlie names of their species, as if it 

 were impossible to determine the insects referred to by them 

 from their descriptions and collections. I fear Mr. Crotch 

 has simply altered the names in order to try and extinguish 

 troublesome claimants for priority over his Teutonic fa- 

 vourites, and that he has not endeavoured to make out the 

 species in question by the means at the disposal of every one 



