478 Mr. D. Sharp and Mr. F. Muir on the Comparative 
The work has nearly all been carried out in the little 
laboratory attached to the residence of the senior author 
at Brockenhurst, and in a period of little more than 
twelve months. Each of the authors has devoted some 
independent work to it since Mr. Muir’s departure for 
Honolulu, and it is hoped that this fact will be accepted 
as some excuse for certain inconsistencies that may be 
discovered by a severe critic. 
The drawings that form so important a part of the 
work have all been made by the junior author, and 
consequently on him has fallen the difficult task of 
deciding as to the ventral and dorsal aspects of the 
structures. This is far from easy; it is, in fact, beset 
with sources of deception, as may be seen from the note 
(as to a discovery made by the junior author) placed in 
front of our descriptions of the family Scarabaeidae. 
A primary object of the authors being to make a 
review extending over all the Order, they could only 
hope, in the too short time at their disposal, to get 
together the necessary material by the aid of their friends. 
Appeals were therefore issued with this object, and met 
with the most obliging responses ; and we naturally desire 
to tender our warmest thanks to all those who have 
helped us in this and in other ways. We must mention 
first of all Mr. G. J. Arrow of the British Museum of 
Natural History; the only limit to whose kindness has 
been the reluctance we felt as to taking his attention 
from more important duties. 
Mr. Antwerp E. Pratt made over to us a considerable 
collection of Coleoptera from New Guinea, This enabled 
us to examine a number of specimens in the case of 
certain species, and has been most useful, though, for our 
purpose, it has been subject to the drawback of several 
of the forms being new or little-known species. 
Mr. J. C. Moulton of Sarawak, Mr. T. Bainbrigge 
Fletcher of Pusa, Mr. Arthur M. Lea of Tasmania, Mr. 
W. W. Froggatt of Sydney, sent us useful material. Herr 
Edmund Reitter of Paskau was so good as to select from 
his stores and send to us several forms we specially 
needed. In our own country Commander Walker and 
Mr. G. A. K. Marshall provided important material. Mr. 
Geo. Lewis has given us a few interesting forms. Mr. 
Ford of Bournemouth, and Mr. Janson of London gave 
themselves considerable trouble in the selection of speci- 
