478 Mr. D. Sharp atid Mr. F. Muir on the Oomparaiivc 



The work has nearly all been carried out in the little 

 laboratory attached to the residence of the senior author 

 at Brockenhurst, and in a period of little more than 

 twelve months. Each of the authors has devoted some 

 independent work to it since Mr. Muir's departure for 

 Honolulu, and it is hoped tliat this fact will be accepted 

 as some excuse for certain inconsistencies that may be 

 discovered by a severe critic. 



The drawings that form so important a part of the 

 work have all been made by the junior author, and 

 consequently on him has fallen the difficult task of 

 deciding as to the ventral and dorsal aspects of the 

 structures. This is far from easy ; it is, in fact, beset 

 with sources of deception, as may be seen from the note 

 (as to a discovery made by the junior author) placed in 

 front of our descriptions of the family Scarahacidae. 



A primary object of the authors being to make a 

 review extending over all the Order, they could only 

 hope, in the too short time at their disposal, to get 

 together the necessary material by the aid of their friends. 

 Appeals were therefore issued with this object, and met 

 with the most obliging responses ; and we naturally desire 

 to tender our warmest thanks to all those who have 

 helped us in this and in other ways. We must mention 

 first of all Mr. G. J. Arrow of the British Museum of 

 Natural History ; the only limit to whose kindness has 

 been the reluctance we felt as to taking his attention 

 from more important duties. 



Mr. Antwerp E. Pratt made over to us a considerable 

 collection of Coleoptera from New Guinea. This enabled 

 us to examine a number of specimens in the case of 

 certain species, and has been most useful, though, for our 

 purpose, it has been subject to the drawback of several 

 of the forms being new or little-known species. 



Mr. J. C. Moulton of Sarawak, Mr. T. Bainbrigge 

 Fletcher of Pusa, Mr. Arthur M. Lea of Tasmania, Mr. 

 W. W. Froggatt of Sydney, sent us useful material. Herr 

 Edmund Reitter of Paskau was so good as to select from 

 his stores and send to us several forms we specially 

 needed. In our own country Commander Walker and 

 Mr. G. A. K. Marshall provided important material. Mr. 

 Geo. Lewis has given us a few interesting forms. Mr. 

 Ford of Bournemouth, and Mr. Janson of London gave 

 themselves considerable trouble in the selection of speci- 



