INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. ^1 



Gmelin, in his edition of the Sy sterna Naturce, 

 has attempted to unite Fabricius with Linneus, 

 usually drawing the first member of his Artificial 

 Characters from the Natural Characters of the 

 former, and subjoining the Artificial Characters of 

 the latter (^"i. His introduction of the maiidihula 

 (maxilla Lin.) is far from an improvement, as this 

 part varies not only in the sexes, but often very 

 much in the different families of the same genus (w^ 

 This author has made a great mistake in four 

 instances in copying the characters of Fabricius, 

 by representing all the palpi as attached to the 

 labium, v/hen, in fact, this is only the case with the 

 interior onesix). His Essential Characters exhibit 

 a singular mixture of those of Linneus, Fabricius, 

 and himself^?/). I do not, however, entirely dis- 

 sent from the method which Gmelin has pursued. 

 Under certain restrictions, the introduction of the 

 labium {lingua) at least, might add a constant 

 character in many genera in this class. But upon 



(t) Fabricius, in the Preface to his Supplement, seems to al- 

 iude to this : " Instnimenta cilaria introduxi," says he, " con- 

 stantissima inveni, at nullo modo cum alls aliisque pariihus 

 jungetida. Mixta semper chaos prcelent, et laccssitus demon.' 

 strationem suscipiam. p. 1. (w) Vid. Tab. nostr. fere omnes. 

 {x) Viz. in /chnemno/1, Tiph'ia, Formica, Miitilla. 

 (y) Thus he sometimes copies Linneus ; in Sphex he mixes 

 Fabricius with Linneus 3 in ScoUa, Thi/nnus, and Tiphia he 

 copies Fabricius. Lcucospis mixes Fabricius with Gmehn, and 

 Chalcis is entirely Gmelin ; its character is taken from tlie an- 

 tennae only, 



this 



