CHARACTERS OF SPECIES. — LOCALITY. 283 
general ; sometimes covering the body and limbs, while 
in other species it is restricted to only one of these 
parts. Many of the capricorn tribe (Capricornes Sw.) 
have their antenne ornamented by elegant circular tufts 
of hairs, radiating in all directions, like the bristles of a 
bottle-brush : these tufts, again, in other species, are 
scattered at regular intervals over the elytre and thorax, 
from whence they seem tospring. Many of the African 
Buprestide and the Sicilian Cetoniade are so orna- 
mented. Sometimes, although much more rarely, the 
hinder legs are tufted, as in some capricorn beetles ; 
while we have a pretty vernal bee having these orna- 
ments upon its middle legs. Few of the true Cicades, or 
singing Hemiptera, possess more than a slight pubes- 
cence ; but several of those of tropical America and 
India have long tufts, resembling the finest cotton, pro- 
jecting from the end of their bodies. Lastly, pubescence 
shows itself under the form of a very fine powder, either 
white or coloured, as in many of the Cocci, or plant lice. 
All these, and many other modifications, should be 
noted in the comparison of species; and they may be 
used, with confidence, as distinguishing characters. 
(343.) It is unnecessary to expatiate further upon 
the diversified appearances in the external covering of 
animals ; for, whether that covering be hard or soft, its 
surface always possesses some characteristic. A species, 
therefore, is distinguished from others with which it is 
immediately connected, either by a very slight difference 
in its form, the relative proportions of its parts, its 
colour, its surface, or its sculpture: these characters, 
moreover, however refined they may be, are quite suf- 
ficient to point out a specific difference, provided they 
are permanent ; that is to say, that they are discern- 
able in all the individuals that have been seen or col- 
lected. 
(344.) Difference of country, or of geographic dis- 
tribution, when coupled with other considerations, may 
frequently excite a well-grounded suspicion that two 
individuals very closely resembling each other, are of 
