8 Rev. T. A. Marshall's rnonograph of 



emarginatG, but rounded or produced ; the mandibles 

 cross each other at the points, and the mouth appears 

 closed, or the aperture left is very small. III. Exodontes. 

 The mandibles are not only too short to meet at the 

 points, but they are curved outwards on each side of the 

 head, unlike those of any other insects, and useless for 

 every purpose to which such organs can be applied. 

 These divisions, however, are insufficient for the extent 

 of the subject, and the second is a jumble of dissimilar 

 forms, being nothing else than the remainder after the 

 subtraction of the first and third. The more recent 

 system of Forster (Verb. pr. Rheinl., 1862, pp. 225 — 

 288) embodies everything of value in the works of his 

 predecessors, arranged in an order of his own, founded 

 upon the general appearance of the animals, and in that 

 respect perhaps as satisfactory as the subject permits. 

 There exists another variation of this system, published 

 by Eeinhard in Taschenberg's Hym. Deutschlands, 

 1866, pp. 78—91. This, being written to suit the plan 

 of a special work, deals chiefly with genera, arranged in 

 a different sequence from that of Forster ; for higher 

 divisions recourse must be had to the latter writer. 

 His synoptical table has been severely criticised, and is 

 undoubtedly liable to many objections, not the least of 

 which is that the difficulty of its application is very 

 deterring to beginners. In the following attempt at 

 simplification, we shall depart in some respects from the 

 German method. The divisions termed by Forster 

 suhfamilies are those chiefly to be attended to, as they 

 are, or are supposed to be, founded upon nature, and of 

 equal value. The other headings, taken from Wesmael 

 and Haliday, are here only used as guide-posts, and for 

 tbe purpose of catching the eye. Excluding Forster's 

 Pachylommatoidce, as belonging to the Evaniidce, we will 

 treat the Bracomdce under six divisions, each including 

 a number of subfamilies. 



