INTRODUCTORY REMARKS, 

 hienta of other genera. This genus wants to be 

 thoroughly studied, it ought to be entirely taken 

 to pieces and worked over again. Both its families 

 contain a variety of insects that are at variance with 

 eath other, and its Essential and Artificial Charac- 

 ters are by no means well constructed. The former 

 will agree with many insects that Linneus has de- 

 scribed as Fespce (a), and " Antennce articuUs 

 decern" in the latter, will apply to no Sphex that I 

 have examined, without we suppose that he num- 

 bered only the joints of what I call the Apex. 

 With respect to the other genera, this great author 

 had selected discriminating characters, but he was 

 not sufficiently attentive to these in the arrange- 

 ment of species, so that individuals, toto caslo at 

 variance with the character of a genus, are not 

 seldom assigned to it. Had he bestowed that 

 attention upon entomology that he did upon 

 botany, his penetrating genius, provided it was 

 furnished with sufficient materials, would have 

 placed the Genera Insectorwm upon the same ad- 

 mirable footing with the Genera Plantarv.m ; but 

 the botanical department absorbing his chief atten- 

 tion, only subordinate pains were bestowed upon 

 insects : much, of course, was left to be done by 

 those of his successors who directed their principal 

 efforts to the improvement of entomology : the 

 chief business of these is to extricate the natural 

 genera. 



(a) Vespa uniglumis, viinuta, &c. 



D Of 



