Cetoniidge of Japan. 197 



The briglit colours of the group have perhaps attracted the 

 attention of some entomologists who, to say the least, have 

 unwisely written on the family without sufficient previous 

 study, or without the material adequate to the occasion. A 

 glance at the Munich Catalogue and the pages of the ' Zoolo- 

 gical Record ' since 1880 should suggest to writers that 

 great care is necessary to prevent the literature of the Ceto- 

 niida; drifting into hopeless confusion. The " Ein Stiick," 

 which appears but too often at the foot of a description in 

 Harold's paper on the Japanese Coleoptera, has been doubt- 

 less the means of misleading authors, who in a variable group 

 have formed species on single specimens. 



As an instance of work done on scanty material tlie three 

 species of Anomala described as new by Harold (Deutsch. 

 ent. Zeitschrift, xxii. pp. 351-35;5) may be given. Shortly 

 after the publication of the paper Harold wrote to me to say 

 the species were Anomala rufocuprea^ Motscli., Euchlora 

 midtistriatuSj Motsch., and Anomala geniculata, Motsch., 

 respectively — insects which for their class are, and were 

 then, well known. 



The synonymy of the Cetonlidaj is added to, as I say, from 

 their conspicuousness and the desire of entomologists to con- 

 nect their names with them, while a less attractive family 

 has a simpler catalogue. (Jeratorrhina viricUpi/ga^ Lewis, 

 is at once given a second name, 0. cliloropyga^ Thomson, 

 when names of similar compounds {[(evipygum^ tuherculipygus) 

 in the Histerida^ are numerous and are allowed to remain 

 single. The name of G. viridipyga^ Lewis, will always be 

 given priority, and cliloropyga^ Thomson, will always stand 

 as a synonym, and a full reference to the beetle will require 

 the mention of both names and a second line in the schedule. 

 And in this instance has there been sufficient cause to add 

 this line to our overburdened Catalogue ? PyQa is a Latin 

 word, and this Thomson does not seem to know. 



1. Rhomhorrhina unicolor^ Motsch. 



Rhomhorrhina unicolor, Motsch. Etud. Ent. 1881, p. 8. 



This species occurs not rarely in the north of Japan, but 

 it is scarce in Kiushiu. 



2. Rhomhorrhina 2>olita^ C. Waterh. 



Rhomhorrhina poUta, C. Waterh. Trans. Eut. Soc. 1875, p. 113. 



The localities for this insect are Bukenji, where it is com- 

 mon in August, Kadzusa, and the island of iSado. 



