Catalogue of Homoptcra. 481 



to the genus Ledra, most of them are described twice or thrice under 

 different specific names. 



The genus Ccelidia of Germar is perhaps the most striking of any 

 in the family Jassina ; and, in my opinion, an entomologist who at 

 first sight cannot at once distinguish that genus is not qualified to 

 write papers on Homoptera. Mr. Walker describes a number of 

 species which, apparently by accident, he places in this genus Ccelidia 

 (and they belong, in fact, to that genus) ; but a number of species 

 belonging to the same genus he describes and places (why, it is diffi- 

 cult to imagine) in other genera, such as nyihoscopus and'Tettigonia , 

 where no one would think of looking for them : and again, when he 

 describes a new genus, !<Daridna, not at all distinct from Ccelidia, 

 which belongs to Jassina, why place that genus Daridna in the 

 family Fulgorina, the most natural and the most striking of all natural 

 groups of insects ? (!) — and again, when he describes another new 

 genus/ Oabrita, which probably will not prove to be distinct from 

 V Ccelidia (as the latter genus contains the typical species of Gabrita, 

 described for a second time and ivnder another specific name), why 

 does he place those two genera in two different groups of the family 

 Jassina ? 



It is very painful to be compelled to make these strictures. I have 

 confined myself to a few : were I to mention all that I have observed, 

 it would require a volume to enumerate them. The above examples 

 will prove that the Catalogues are so deficient in scientific value, that, 

 I trust, they will be declared non -existing ; and all serious ento- 

 mologists will, with myself, regret that the Catalogues of Homoptera 

 published by the British Museum, and the descriptions of the fine 

 collections of these insects made by Mr. Wallace, have been the 

 work of an entomologist not at all acquainted with that order of 

 insects. 



I am obliged to the British Museum and to the gentlemen of the 

 insect department for the great courtesy and attention that I have 

 received while studying this group. I desire to manifest my sense 

 of the consideration which has been accorded to me ; I camiot do so 

 better than by offering myself as the person who earnestly asks them 

 quietly and for ever to withdraw, for the sake of science, these 

 volumes of their Catalogue from the light of day. 



[The concluding sentence of the above critique will probably be 

 thought unnecessarily severe ; but as, in our absence from town, the 

 article had been distributed in a separate form before we had seen 

 it in print, we have, although with great hesitation, allowed it to 



