Mr. J. O. Westwood on the Genus Lucanus. 271 
XLIV. On the Sectional Characters of the Genus Lucanus, 
with Descriptions of some new Species of Lucanide. By 
J,O, Wzstwoop, F.L.S., &c. 
[Read Sth February, 1844, and 3rd March, 1845.] 
Iy reviewing the distributions which have been proposed by Ento- 
mologists, for the more natural or more convenient arrangement 
of extensive groups of insects, we repeatedly find certain charac- 
ters employed which, looking at higher results in connexion with 
the economy and existence of the creatures before us, it requires 
but very little acquaintance with the insect world to perceive can 
by no possibility have the slightest influence; in other words, 
that they are entirely unimportant as connected with insect life 
and which we thence term artificial characters, 
The employment of such characters is, it is true, absolutely 
requisite for furthering the ends of science, although this is much 
to be regretted, because, as must have happened in the experience 
of every Entomologist, we are constantly exposed to the ridicule 
of others, ignorant of the science and of the nature of those 
artificial characters, when they find us occupied in counting the 
joints in the antenna of a beetle or carefully tracing the intricacies 
of the veining of the wings of a fly. What, ask ee can be the 
possible use of wasting your time and talents on such frivolous 
pursuits as these? What can possibly be gained by knowing 
whether this beetle has five joints in its hind tarsus or only four? 
What possibly can be learned by finding out that there are three 
or only two short transverse veins between the subcostal and 
radial veins of the wing of a sand wasp? 
Now nothing, in the whole course of an examination of exten- 
sive tribes of insects, is more remarkable than the pertinacity (if 
we may be so bold as to employ such a term) with which these 
trivial characters are maintained throughout such groups. It 
may, indeed, appear a trivial question, whether a beetle possesses 
more than eleven joints in its antenne, but when we know that at 
least ninety-nine out of every hundred species of beetles pos- 
sess exactly eleven joints in the antenna, we at once arrive at 
the conclusion that a departure from this typical number as it is 
termed must be attended with some circumstances not without 
interest if we could but determine them. So again it may at first 
sight seem very immaterial whether this species of sand wasp 
possesses three or only two transverse veins forming the sub- 
