4 Longicornia Malayana. 



LAMIID^. 



Dr. Leconte, taking various characters into account, con- 

 siders that the Laniiidae contain three series of forms ; the first, 

 "the typical Lamia series," attains its highest development in 

 Slernoloma, Ceroplesis, Omacanlha, and similar genera — to this he 

 appends the " Saperds ; '' the second series is represented by the 

 " Dorcadion form ;" and the third by the " Acanthoderes or iEdilis 

 form." But to these he was compelled to add a fourth series, 

 " distinguished from all the others by the imperfection of the 

 anterior acetabula." These four series were then divided into 

 seventeen *' groups. " M. James Thomson (" Essai, " &c.) 

 adopts this arrangement almost entirely, but having far larger 

 materials at his command, he has increased the number of divi- 

 sions (using this word in a general sense) considerably. We 

 still count seventeen ^' groupes," but the Dorcadion series con- 

 taining no ^^ groupe" is represented by two " divisions," a rank 

 subordinate to the '■' groupe." Of the *'■ groupes" ten stand alone; 

 the remainder embrace eighteen " dicisions," and four " sous- 

 groupes," So that taking the "divisions" where there are no 

 *' groupes," and the " groupes" where there are no '^divisions," 

 and the " sous-groupes' where they occur without the " divisions" 

 we have thirty-four subordinate forms, which we may consider 

 take the place of the Leconttan "groups." There are also two 

 " sous- divisions" in one of the *' groupes :" these were probably 

 intended to be ^^ divisions ;" if so, then we should have to add one 

 more, which would bring the whole number of " groiqjes," and 

 what are nearly equivalent to them, up to thirty-five. 



Mr, Bates, in the work above quoted, is satisfied with 

 dividing the Lamiidae into six sub-tribes, remarking, however, 

 that two of them might, perhaps, be further divided, and two 



or the sul)-family, or even the order of another. At one time the tribe precedes 

 ilie family, generally il is subordinate to it ; the same may be said of the slirps, the 

 cohort, and llie plialanx, &c. Tlie confusion is somelimes increased by the 

 application hi' names which are completely deceptive, such as CucullncE (a sub- 

 family of cuckoos) to a group of b.es, or indefinite names which are used in 

 almost every class, such as " Aquatica" and " Loiigipedes." I'he sub-genus is 

 another elemeni of confusion. It would be very difficult to say what is the 

 difference in the value between this and the genus. It oflen appears to be a sort 

 of compromise put forward only until the author can make up his mind as to its 

 real value, and, perhaps, as more likely to escape criticism in its more humble 

 rank ; but it has this inconvenience, that it is tantamount to giving two names, 

 the sub genus being adopted in one case and the genus in the other, both being 

 sometimes used indifferently by the same author: or the sub-genus is inserted 

 parenthetically, and then we have what amounts to a trinomial nomenclature. 



