VARIETIES. 309 



section is upon systems : those of Aristotle, Gesner, Ray, 

 Lister, Linnaeus, De Geer, Geoffroy, Fabricius, Illiger, Clair- 

 ville, Cuvier, Latreille, Lamarck, Dumeril, Leach, Kirby, 

 Oken, MacLeay, &c. are described ; and he gives a short 

 account of a system of his own. He concludes with a few 

 pages on nomenclature, and a table containing lists of the 

 different thoracic parts, according to his views, and those of 

 Knoch, Kirby, Chabrier, Andouin, MacLeay, and Straiis- 

 Durckheim. This work is accompanied by an atlas, containing 

 sixteen anatomical plates, copied from other authors, some of 

 them coloured. We recommend this book to the attention of 

 all who wish to extend their information beyond the mere 

 descriptions of genera and species, which is too often the ne 

 plus ultra of the researches of British Entomologists. 



Art. XXXV. — Varieties. 



( Continued from p. 216 J 



24. Inquiry respecting the Genus Castnia, (Vid. ante, 

 p. 44.) — Sir, Permit me to request, from the anonymous re- 

 viewer of " Siihinx vespiformis" some information on the 

 natural history of the genus Castnia, which he intimates he 

 has seen in its native country, ** sitting with its wings de- 

 flexed, as we have ourselves observed" (p. 46.) This fact 

 was published many years ago, {Zool. III. 3 PI. 149) ; but it 

 has never been confirmed, until now, by the observations of 

 others. Your correspondent must, of course, be a traveller in 

 equinoctial America, where only this genus is found ; and can 

 probably communicate something more on this singular group 

 than I have published. Allow me to express the pleasure I 

 have derived from your first number, and my hope that it will 

 be effectually supported. The first article deserves the highest 

 commendation. 



I am Sir, your very obedient Servant, 



William Sw^ainson. 

 St. Albans, Nov. 25, 1832. 



[We are sorry that we are unable to afford Mr. Swainson 

 any further information on this interesting subject. — Ed.] 



