66 



possessed of an energy which no obstacle can resist, an assiduity which 

 no amount of labour can weary, and turning his attention almost ex- 

 clusively to these minims, it is not extraordinary that he should have 

 produced, as he has done, a second most useful monograph on a sub- 

 ject already ably treated. It contains really elaborate descriptions 

 of 591 species, of which 272 are not given as species by any other 

 British author. 1 say advisedly " as species," because I am well 

 aware that " as varieties " some few of them are noticed by the illus- 

 trious Haworth, in whose footsteps Mr. Stainton has closely followed, 

 by carefully describing every species, as he himself assures us, from 

 actual specimens. It would far exceed the limits, and indeed the ob- 

 ject, of an evanescent summary like this, were I to give even the 

 names, authorities and localities of the new species, as 1 have done in 

 the instance of Mr. Dawson's Geodephaga : the most superficial 

 mention of 272 species would occupy an hour at least, and I will not 

 venture such a tax on your patience. All that I can do is cordially to 

 recommend Mr. Stainlon's volume, and to hope that all may profit by 

 it equally with myself. The copious and almost crowded illustrations 

 by the pencil of our deeply-lamented assistant-secretary are worthy of 

 attentive study. 



But the most important and valuable work I have to notice, and 

 the one which as a work of science will confer most honour on this 

 country, is the * Insecta Maderensia ' of Mr. Wollaston.* This work 

 is distinguished throughout by persevering industry, profound know- 

 ledge and philosophical spirit. Nothing can exceed the industry with 

 which the author has pursued his object, a fact that will be sufliciently 

 evident when I state that he has described 213 genera and 482 species 

 of Madeiran Coleoptera, out of which 41 of the genera and 270 of 

 the species are now characterised for the first time, and are therefore 

 absolutely new to science. With regard to the solid entomological 

 knowledge possessed, and in every page made manifest without display, 

 there can be but one opinion, for not a single species or genus is men- 

 tioned unaccompanied by the evidence of a perfect knowledge of its 

 antecedent history : this, I am aware, is very high praise, but it is 

 praise which no one can say is unmerited. The philosophical spirit 

 is manifested equally in the masterly characters given of every genus 

 and species, and in the explanatory remarks which invariably follow 



* ' Insecta Maderensia; being an Account of the Insects of the Islands of the 

 Madeiran Group.' By T. Vernon Wollaston, M.A., F.L.S. 4to. Col. Plates. 

 London : Van Voorst. 1854. Price £2 2*. 



