4 Rey. F. W. Hope on the 
II. On the Entomology of China, with Descriptions of the 
new Species sent to England by Dr. Cantor from Chusan 
and Canton. By the Rev. F. W. Hors, F.R.S. &e. 
[Read 7 March, 1842.] 
Very little is known of the Entomology of China. Our countryman 
Donovan, in the year 1798, published a quarto volume containing 
descriptions of twenty-five Coleoptera, besides various insects of 
other Orders. It is, I believe, the only work exclusively devoted 
to Chinese insects. The descriptions of the species, according to 
the taste of that day, are decidedly too laconic, so much so that 
without the accompanying plates it would be difficult in several 
instances to recognize the insects intended. The plates, however, 
are well worthy of Donovan, and exhibit a richness of colouring 
which has rarely, if ever, been surpassed. In the continental 
works of Entomologists some Chinese insects occasionally will be 
found described, but the number is but small. I believe that in 
the catalogue of the Baron De Jean scarcely 100 species are 
noticed as occurring there; now, allowing another century of 
species to be included in the writings of other authors, we shall 
then have the paltry amount of 200 Coleoptera, which aye all that 
can be mentioned as inhabiting one of the most considerable of 
eastern empires. It should here be mentioned that a large pro- 
portion of East Indian insects are common to China, and there- 
fore the number of known species might be greatly increased. 
That the Chinese Fauna will eventually prove to be rich cannot 
be doubted. As to the number of species and abundance of indi- 
viduals no paucity will ever be discovered. It may then fairly be 
deduced from the foregoing remarks, that we know scarcely any- 
thing of China entomologically. The acquisition therefore of fifty 
new Coleoptera is certainly an important addition to that Fauna. 
Sorry am I to add that the bulk of these were collected by Dr. 
Cantor just after a recovery from the Chusan fever, with which 
he was severely attacked. ‘ They are,” as he states in his letters, 
** chiefly from two localities, Chusan and Canton, and I could wish 
that they were more numerous and valuable. No one can form 
an idea what I suffered in collecting them, and, when collected, 
the difficulty of keeping them from mould and accident was no 
trifling matter. Pray let them be described, if it is only to con- 
vince others that zeal for science and assiduity on my part have 
not been wanting.’ In accordance with Dr. Cantor’s wish I have 
described fifty new Coleoptera, Dr. Horsfield has kindly under- 
