68 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



years, and thus obtain eighty -three notices. Of these, twenty- 

 four are changes, or corrections, of names which were pre- 

 viously in our catalogues; and fifty-nine refer to insects 

 absolutely new to our list. Of these, however, two ought to 

 be excluded, as referring to merely single specimens of 

 undoubtedly American insects, viz., Leislotrophus cingulatits 

 and Clijlus erythroceplinliis ; and two others, as relating to 

 single specimens of insects known as foreigners, but without 

 any trustworthy British history, viz., Plaiysonia ohlongum and 

 Agapanthia micaiis. Again, three others are undoubt- 

 edly to be considered as merely introduced, and scarcely 

 naturalised, and as having no claim to be supposed British 

 insects proper, viz., Silvaniis advena^ Ptinus testaceus, and 

 TriboUum confuaum. We have, thus, fifty-two for the abso- 

 lute number of genuine additions in six years, and it is not 

 improbable that a iew of these will be ultimately reduced ; 

 new species having in several cases been founded on single 

 specimens, or by the separation of insects which had been 

 previously grouped under one name ; the differences being 

 occasionally not of a very decided character, and some of 

 them possibly merely sexual. Thus two species of Trimium 

 have been reduced into one, as representing only the sexes; 

 and Meligethes palmatus, Er., is identical with M. obscurus, 

 Er., on the same grounds. We thus obtain an average of not 

 quite nine, for each of the last six years; a great contrast to 

 that of fifty-five, as recorded for the previous seventeen 

 years, in the list of the 'Entomologist's Annual' of 1872. 

 This would seem to indicate either that the new species are 

 becoming pretty well worked out, or that there has been a 

 great lull in collecting activity, which 1 suspect is the case. 



The only name wliich stands out prominently is that of 

 that indefatigable collector Mr. Champion, assisted by his 

 friend Mr. Walker; Mr. Lawson has done much. Mr. Crotch 

 and old Turner are, alas, lost to us ; Dr. Sharp and Mr. Gor- 

 ham have ceased to give much exclusive attention to British 

 insects; Mr. Rye has now little or no time for personal 

 collecting. All of these are men who used to add largely to 

 our discoveries, and they have not yet been replaced. 



If we analyse our Catalogues we shall find that in 



1872 there were 18 new insects, and 9 changes of name. 



1873 „ 13 „ 7 



1874 „ 5 „ 3 



1875 „ 4 „ 



1876 „ 15 „ C 



1877 „ 4 ,. 



