64 MEMOIR OF DE GEER. 



The fourth and fifth are wholly occupied with the 

 Coleoptera, and contain an account of numerous larvae 

 pertaining to that order which were previously un- 

 known. The sixth volume embraces the Diptera. 

 The seventh is of a more miscellaneous description, 

 and besides some insects properly so called, contains 

 a notice of crabs, spiders, scorpions, myriapodes, 

 and some other animals which at that period were 

 always ranked with insects. It is from this part of 

 his work that we have copied the beautiful portrait 

 prefixed to the present volume ; but although a post- 

 humous publication, it is unfortunately unaccom- 

 panied with any account of the author's life. 



All naturalists competent to form an enlightened 

 opinion on the subject, unite in admitting that these 

 memoirs are entitled to the very highest praise to 

 which a work of this description can lay claim. Both 

 nature and fortune conspired to fit De Geer for suc- 

 cessfully prosecuting the study to which he was so 

 ardently attached. The natural endowments of his 

 mind were of no ordinary kind, and the best educa- 

 tion which the times could afford had the usual effect 

 of strengthening and improving them, and adapting 

 them to observe and discriminate with readiness and 

 accuracy. His time was at his own disposal, and his 

 ample fortune gave him the immediate command of 

 every thing that could facilitate his investigations. 

 Such a concurrence of favourable circumstances does 

 not often happen, and it is not often, therefore, that 

 we can expect to be favoured with works of such 

 Talue. They were combined, however in the catf 



