70 Mr. D. Sharp on the 



original observation as is recorded in the definitions of 

 the tribes and remarks on the subordinate groups and 

 in the six plates closely filled with drawings of the trophi, 

 cannot but be most useful to future sj'stematists, and we 

 may give our hearty thanks to Dr. Horn for the work he 

 has accomplished. 



Another paper on the classification of the Carnivorous 

 Coleoptera has been recently published in the Deutsche 

 Ent. Zeit. 24 (1880), pp. 258—280. It is by Herr 

 Kolbe, and is entitled " Naturliches system der Carni- 

 voren Coleoptera," and it is interesting to compare this 

 with Dr. Horn's paper. 



The author starts on the hypothesis that in distant 

 geological periods water-beetles preceded land-beetles, 

 that the land-beetles we now have are descended from 

 water-beetles ; and he consequently attaches great im- 

 portance in his system to such points of structure as are 

 common to water-beetles and certain land-beetles, such 

 as a comparatively immobile prothorax and inferior 

 development of the external sensitive structures of the 

 antennas. He starts with the " family Carnivora," which 

 he defines, and which is sj-nonymous with the " Ade- 

 phagous series " of Horn, and is quite equivalent there- 

 with, except that the German author has introduced into 

 his family certain fossil insects which he treats as a sub- 

 family, with the name Escheriidce. His definition of the 

 family is of very little service practically, owing to nearly 

 the whole of the characters mentioned being subject to 

 exceptions. And the family is then divided into six 

 sections — 1, the EpJiydrodepJiaga, the equivalent of Gyri- 

 nidce of other authors ; 2, Enhydrodephaga, which equals 

 the families Dytiscidce, Pclohiidce, and HcdipUdce of Horn. 

 Up to this point there is little or nothing novel in Herr 

 Kolbe's system, but from this point to the end the 

 arrangement is very different from any in vogue. The 

 Brd section is called Amphidephaga, and consists of the 

 single genus Oinopliron. The 4tli section comprises 

 Ampldzoa, Trachypuchys, Carahuke {^=: Notiophilini, Cara- 

 hini, CycJuini), and Pa»ihond(S, and is called Hetero- 

 dephaga. Section 5, Mesodepliaga, comprises the Cicin- 

 delidce, Elaphrida, Mctriida, Loriceridie, Promecog- 

 nathidce, Hiletidce, Scaritidce, EscJieriidrs (fossil), Siago- 

 nidce, Ozoenidce, and Monnolycidce. While the 6th and 

 last section, called Holodcpliaga, consists of all the 



