338 ORDERS OF PTILOTA. 



frequented countries either of the old or new world that 

 these importations are derived, but every year adds consider- 

 ably to the lists of our indigenous species, by the discovery 

 of undescribed beetles. 



It is, indeed, unquestionable that the Coleoptera exceeds, 

 in point of number of species, any other order of insects, 

 although the Diptera and Hymenoptera — now that more 

 attention is being bestowed upon the minute species — are 

 not far behind the beetles in point of numbers. The French 

 collections are estimated to contain not fewer than 30,000 

 distinct species of Coleoptera, and it is by no means impro- 

 bable that at least 20,000 more are contained in the cabinets 

 of other countries, wanting in the former. Thus 60,000 

 species may be considered as actually existing in our collec- 

 tions ; and when it is knovni that immense tracts of country 

 in Asia, Africa, North and South America, New Holland, 

 and the Islands of the Southern Ocean, exist, from which 

 not a single insect has been received, we may, \\'ithout ex- 

 aggeration, conclude that there are from 100,000 to 150,000 

 species of beetles in existence. This number, however, will 

 scarcely be considered overrated, when it is further men- 

 tioned that in our own little island upwards of 3,500 native 

 species have been actually described. 



In the series of insects the Coleoptera also seem to possess 

 a certain degree of superiority, which places them in the 

 foremost ranks of the class to which they belong. An emi- 

 nent French naturalist, M. Marcel de Serres, has not indeed 

 adopted this opinion ; the Orthoptera, whose anatomy he has 

 profoundly investigated, being, in his ideas, entitled to be 

 placed at the head of the class, his opinion being founded 

 upon a consideration of the superior developement of the 

 locomotive organs. Latreille, however, has considered that 

 too much weight has been given to this character ; and has 

 suggested, from a general consideration of their comparative 



