ifi* JLinnaan Socitfty. 



alone be reduced were of the greatest difficulty. Tliey like- 

 wise had reference to an analytical investigation of some pro- 

 blems relative to the game of chess. 



LINNiEAX SOCIETY. 



Dec. 3d and 1 7th. A. B. Lambert, Esq. V. P. in the chair. 

 On these evenings, after the conclusion of Mr. W. S. MacLeay's 

 paper mentioned in our last number, an interesting communi- 

 cation was read from the Rev. \\'m, Kirby, F. il. and L. S. 

 illustrative of the preceding one, and entitled "A Description of 

 some Insects which appear to exemplify Mr. W. 8. MacLeay's 

 Doctrine of Affinity and Analogy." It treats on some remark- 

 able instances of animals that assume the outward semblance 

 of one tribe, while their real characters and their habits show 

 that tliey actually belong to some other : so that creatures 

 which are placed in opposition to each other are yet connected 

 by as it were a symbolical relationship, which has not unfre- 

 quently misled the naturalist. 



The learned author, after referring to, and concurring in, 

 the curious distinction pointed out by Mr. MacLeay, between 

 true affinities and resemblances that are merely analogical, 

 proceeds to exemplify his remarks in descriptions of a new 

 genus, Cataacojms, which might be taken for a Notiophilus of 

 Leach, — of Iletcromorpha, another new genus, which, though 

 really a Linnaean Carabus, would at first sight be taken for a 

 Nitidida, — and a third new genus, Mimda, which vastly re- 

 sembles an Areoda. He also describes a new species of Agrion, 

 which comes near to Lesfcs. 



The original and interesting views of the general laws ma- 

 nifested in the natural disti'ibution of organized beings, which 

 have been lately published by Mr. W. S. MacLeay in his 

 Horcc Entomologiccv, and which it is the object of the abo\'e 

 pajiers to illustrate and exemplify, must claun the attention of 

 those students who, desiring to pursue Natural History jihiio- 

 sophicaliy, seek to ascend from an accurate knov/ledge of ))ar- 

 ticulars, acquired by the useful and necessary aid of artificial 

 systems, to a discovery of that arrangement which is actually 

 t> be found in Nature. For the successive and graduated 

 series, including innumerable modes of existence and varieties 

 of structure, which is presented to our view, together with the 

 general laws which jjrevail in the relations by which species 

 and classes are connected in one great system, are calculated 

 to impress the mind, and to employ our highest faculties, 

 equally with the investigation of the structure and properties 

 of individuals, upon an accurate acquaintance with which, how- 

 ever, all our other knowledg-c must be founded. 



^ Mr. 



