96 



XXVI. On the distinctive Characters of two Species 

 of the Fahrician Genus Geotrupes, which have 

 been confounded wider the name of Actoeon. 



\^olumes niisht be written on the characters that divide 

 the numerous genera named Mdolontha, Geotrupes, and 

 Copris, by authors, and entomologists may expect some 

 valuable observations on this subject from the pens of 

 A. MacLeay, Esq. and of his son W. MacLeay, Esq. 

 both of whom have turned their attention particularly to 

 the examination of them. 



I am a warm advocate for generic divisions, (founded on the 

 consideration of every character,) being fully satisfied that 

 such exist in nature, and, \ihen distinguished with judge- 

 ment, tendmaterially to the advancement of science. Those 

 entomologists of the Linnean school, who, by dilating the 

 characters either of their genera or species so as to make 

 them admit of almost any thiuii*, bend Nature to theartifi^ 

 cial system of their master, would do well to consider whe- 

 ther they do not show greater veneration for it, than for Na- 

 ture, and not to upbraid those who hold a different opin.iori 

 from themselves. 



Every entomologist, who has turned his attention to the 

 study of exotic Coleoptera, knows that the feraale oiG.Ac- 

 taou of Fabricius is described as havinjr crenate or irregu- 

 larly sculptured elytra, and a bidentate clypeus. The latter 



* For an example of this, see the altered character of the genus 

 LimaX) in the Introduction to Montagu's Testacea Britannicas. 



