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VI. Observations on the Stenochoridae of New Holland, with Descriptions of New Genera 

 and Species of that Family. By the Rev. F. W. Hope, A.M., F.R.S., F.L.S. &;c. 



Communicated June 23, 1840. 



In the month of May, in the year 1833, I submitted to the Zoological Society a 

 Memoir, containing descriptions of several new genera of Coleopterous insects, which 

 was shortly afterwards published in the first volume of the Transactions of the Society'. 

 Nearly at the end of the paper I gave a synoptical Table of the genera known at 

 that period belonging to the Stenochoridcs , dividing them into two sections. Since that 

 publication. Monsieur Audinet Serville of Paris has published his remarks on the Lon- 

 gicorn beetles generally ; and what is singular, has altogether omitted the genus Steno- 

 chorus, substituting in its place the name of Mallocera. Really, if we are to allow the 

 Linnaean and Fabrician names to be expunged at the caprice of any individual or indi- 

 viduals whomsoever, and others to be introduced in their stead, there will be no end of 

 confusion. The orismology of entomology is already too burdensome to allow of any 

 unnecessary additions ; and that I have not advanced an opinion which can be doubted, 

 I will only allude to a work, one which may be considered as exhibiting the opinions of a 

 large portion of the entomologists of France — I mean the new edition of the Catalogue 

 of the Baron Dejean. In that work the genus Stenochorus, which was published by Fa- 

 bricius many years back, is abandoned, whilst the Servillean Ma/Zocera is substituted in its 

 place. Had this been the only Fabrician genus discarded, I should probably have only 

 slightly alluded to it ; but when I find other Longicorn genera, such as Lamia and Ceram- 

 byx, are not admitted, and that to these may be added the expulsion of Buprestis, Ela- 

 ter, Cnodulon, Tritoma, Haltica, &c., it would be neglect on my part did I not endeavour 



' I puq)Osely give the date of the publication alluded to, and it is taken from the Svo volume of the Proceed- 

 ings of the Zoological Society of London. I subjoin also an extract from Monsieur Guerin's Magazine of 

 Zoology (vide Vol. 6"" Ann^e) : " Mon Amallopodes scabrosus (Mag. de Zool. cit.) a &t& d^crit par M. Hope 

 sous le nom de Prionus Cutninffii (voy. Trans, de la Soc. Zool. de Lond., vol. i. part 2. page 105, pi. 14, 

 fig. 7). M. Hope ajoute qu'on pourrait etablir avec cette espfece un sous-genre sous le nom de Acanthino- 

 dera. Ma publication est du mois de Noverabre 1833. Le mfimoire de Mr. Hope a ete communique le 28 Mai 

 1833, mais n'a (:\.i. publie qu'en 1834." In answer to the above passage I have only to remark, that Monsieur 

 Gu^rin alludes to the publication of the quarto Transactions of this Society, and seems to be totally unac- 

 quainted that the Proceedings are previously published in 8vo. In the volume of 1833, at page 61, the date of 

 the paper in question is May the 2Sth, consequently M. Guerin's claim of priority falls to the ground. The 

 name of Cuming, therefore, ought to be adopted. It is remarkable that the above insect was also called 

 Prionus Mercvrius by Dr. Frederick Eschscholtz ; the date of the latter was however in 1834. 



