British Tipulidce, Sfc. 449 



and that they will stimulate those individuals whose collections 

 are well stored with nondescript indigenous Insects, to favour the 

 public with an account of them, and not allow them to remain 

 longer concealed in their cabinets, unnamed and unknown. 



I have the honor to remain, 



Gentlemen, 



Your obedient Servant, 



3, Leigh Street, J. F. Stephens. 



Burton Crescent. 



The amazing number of new and highly interesting species of 

 indigenous Insects, which have of late years been added to our 

 cabinets by the industry of modern collectors, sufficiently proves 

 the zeal which has animated them, and caused them to exert them- 

 selves ; but it is greatly to be regretted, that their labours have 

 so seldom been directed to the description or arrangement of the 

 little objects of their research, that our continental neighbours 

 have generally anticipated us in the publication of our native trea- 

 sures; an endeavour to efface a portion of the stigma which such 

 listlessness has attached to the character of British Entomolo- 

 gists, has led me to attempt a brief descriptive account of such 

 species of the Tipulideous genera Culex and Anopheles, as are 

 found in this country, preceded by some observations, shewing the 

 present state of our knowledge of the Tipulidce in general, and of 

 the above genera in particular. 



In the 12th edition of the Systema Naturae, Linne describes 

 58 Tipulw only. Fabricius, in his Entomologia Systematica, in- 

 creases the number to 93, and in his Systema Antliatoruni to 162, 

 — the latter including 35 extra European species. In the 8vo. 

 edition of Meigen's European Diptera, (the most complete work 

 on that order hitherto published,) there are about 520 species of 

 this family described, exclusive of 17 of those mentioned by 

 Linnaeus, Fabricius, and others, whose identity the indefatigable 

 author has been unable satisfactorily to determine. 



