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CHAPTER V. 



BOOKS USEFUL TO THE STUDENT OF BEITISH 

 COLEOPTEKA. 



WITH regard to the books likely to be of real use to 

 the student, it is to be regretted that there are none on 

 British Coleoptera exclusively, or in English, that can be 

 recommended. There is, indeed, a ' Manual of British 

 Coleoptera/ by J. F. Stephens (London, 1839, one vol.), 

 purporting to describe all our species; but it is so full 

 of error, and the nomenclature is so confused, as to be 

 of little or no use. The ' Illustrations of British En- 

 tomology : Mandibulata/ (1828,) by the same author, 

 with plates, comes under the same heading ; and there 

 only remains the ( Genera of British Insects/ by Curtis, 

 of which the letter-press is of little use, but the figures 

 remain unrivalled for beauty of finish. There are, how- 

 ever, many scattered papers by English authors, of 

 great value; and these, with descriptions of limited 

 groups by foreign writers, will be noticed hereafter. 



For general information and reference, the ' Intro- 

 duction to the Modern Classification of Insects/ by 

 J. O. Westwood (London, 1 839), is still unequalled, and 

 must be consulted by all beginners ; and Burmeister's 

 1 Manual of Entomology/ translated by Mr. Shuckard 

 (London, 1836), will be found of great service on struc- 



