Ixxiv Memoir of George Robert Waterhouse. 
study of the Australian Coleoptera, particularly the Rhyn- 
cophora, and he described several new genera and species, 
besides writing a monograph of the family Amycteride. 
Among his note-books was found a manuscript catalogue 
of all the described Australian Coleoptera known to him, 
which must have taken much time to compile. 
In 1855 he prepared an article on the geographical 
distribution of Rodents for Keith Johnston’s ‘ Physical 
Atlas.’ In 1858 he was sent by the Trustees to Germany 
to examine a collection of fossils offered to the Museum. 
This collection he immediately recommended them to 
purchase, as it contained the remarkable ‘‘Archeopteryx,”’ 
which he thus succeeded in acquiring for the Museum. 
Having taken with him a considerable number of British 
Coleoptera which were difficult of determination, he 
was able to compare them with the specimens in the 
Berlin Museum, which he visited on his return journey. 
He also had an opportunity of seeing some parts at 
least of Dr. Kraatz’s collection; his note-book contains 
particularly memoranda of the Aleocharide. A number 
of Malacoderms he left with Dr. Kiesenwetter, who 
kindly named them and sent them to him afterwards. 
This work was done with a view to his Catalogue of 
British Coleoptera, which at this time was commenced. 
To this Catalogue, which gave such an impetus to the 
study of this order of insects among English entomo- 
logists, he gave all his energy for the following years 
until 1861. Those who have taken up the study of 
British Coleoptera only of late years, can scarcely 
realise the difficulties which beset the coleopterist before 
the publication of this Catalogue. The difficulty also 
of preparing the Catalogue itself will be imagined when 
we remember that some of the best works on Kuropean 
Coleoptera, which we now use, and which would have 
been of such valuable assistance, were then not published. 
The nomenclature in vogue in England was greatly at 
variance with that used by continental coleopterists, and 
even the continental nomenclature was in a less satis- 
factory state than we now see it. 
Stephens’ ‘ Manual’ and that author’s collection were 
supreme in England. The first and not the least difficult 
task was to examine and decide upon the value of the 
multitude of this author’s so-called species ; and, in the 
Brachelytra especially, to identify Kirby’s species. But 
