2 Mr. Edward Saunders on 



work (1845-47) J Mr. Hope published three papers in 

 the fourth volume of the Transactions of this Society, 

 containing many new species, but also several which are 

 identical with those described by Messrs. Laporte and 

 Gory, and some with those which he had himself pre- 

 viously described. Other papers have been published by 

 various authors, in which are to be found several species 

 identical with Mr. Hope's— thus making further additions 

 to the already too complicated synonymy. It is with the 

 hope of clearing up this confusion that the present paper 

 has been undertaken ; in it are given redescriptions and 

 steel engravings of all Mr. Hope's species, the short 

 Latin diagnoses used by that Author forming their head- 

 ings. All his types, with the exception of three which 

 are apparently lost, as well as those of Messrs. Gory, 

 Thomson, Boheman, Chevrolat, White, and others, have 

 been carefully examined, and the synonymy rendered as 

 complete as practicable. 



I have to express my best thanks to Prof. Westwood 

 for the very kind manner in which he assisted me, while 

 studying Mr. Hope's collection in the Oxford Museum. 

 To recognize the original types was a work of consider- 

 able difficulty, and, but for the help of one well acquainted 

 with Mr. Hope's writing, would have been almost impos- 

 sible. 



I would also express my thanks to Count Mniszech, 

 Messrs. H. Deyrolle, Lucas, Thomson, Chevrolat, Bohe- 

 man, and Stal, who have kindly assisted me by allowing 

 me access to their collections, and have done their utmost 

 to further the object I have had in view. 



In the following revision, I have referred the species 

 to the modern genera to which they respectively belong. 

 Diadoxus, Plagiope, Ncocuris, Anilara, Prosphercs, Meriin- 

 na, Xyroscelis, and Paracephala, will shortly be charac- 

 terized by M, Henri Deyrolle.* 



* At the time when this paper was prepared and read before the Society, 

 I was under the impression that Mr. Hope's descriptions of 1836 had been 

 pubUshed, and were entitled to priority over the names given by Laporte 

 and Gory, and siibsequeut authors. But finding from the discussion which 

 is reported in Proc. Ent. Soc, 18C7, pp. cix, ex, that Mr. Hope's paper 

 was printed only for private circulation, I have abandoned the names 

 of the unpublished tract " Buprestida; " in favour of published names, 

 though later in point of date.—- E.S. Mwrcli, 1868. 



