386 DR. F. LEUTHNER ON THE ODONTOLABINI. 
was originally suggested by a controversy which took place at a meeting of naturalists 
at Bern in the autumn of 1878, when Prof. Heer maintained the permanency of 
species in opposition to the views of Brunner von Wattenwyl, Carl Vogt, and others. 
Whilst the theory of evolution has taken firm root in the higher schools of science, 
and is diligently studied and developed by anatomists and morphologists, it is frequently 
ignored, if not condemned, by systematists ; though if all naturalists were to work in 
the same direction, it would be much to the advantage of science. 
I long desired personally to investigate a question of such great interest and import- 
ance, and to study variation, the formation of races, &c., with the help. of a sufficient 
amount of material, not derived from domesticated organisms. An unexpected oppor- 
tunity soon presented itself. Herr Gustav Schneider, a dealer in objects of natural 
history at Basel, received a large series of a very variable Stag-Beetle from Manilla, 
the males of which were represented in four very different forms, which could all be 
connected together by intermediate variations. This insect proved to be Odontolabis 
alces, Fabr., and the various forms had been previously regarded by authors as 
belonging to three distinct species. On examining the literature, it appeared that 
since the time of Burmeister much difference of opinion has existed on the subject. 
Even the nearest allied species from North India stood in the catalogues under 
incorrect names. I studied the allied species, and found that they confirmed the con- 
clusions at which I had arrived with regard to 0. alces. As I could not find sufficient 
material in the Museums of Basel, Geneva, Vienna, &c., I decided to visit London in 
order to pursue my investigations with the aid of the rich collections which exist there. 
I had expected much from the English collections, but they far surpassed all my expecta- 
tions. The collections and library of the British Museum are placed at the disposal of 
visitors from abroad in the most liberal manner. Materials constantly accumulated 
from all quarters, and I was specially encouraged to continue my efforts by Mr. H. W. 
Bates; and gradually brought the present Monograph of Odontolabini to a conclusion. 
The great variation of form in this group renders the question of species unusually 
interesting, but at the same time extremely difficult; and this convinced me that no 
reliable results could be attained without the study of an enormous amount of material, 
and the formulation of definite laws of variation. I therefore visited the Museum at 
Paris, and studied Vollenhoven’s types at Leyden, and the types in the Hope Collection 
at Oxford; but my labours were most facilitated by the kindness of Major Parry and of 
Herr van Lansberge (ex-Governor of the Dutch East Indies), both of whom generously 
placed their rich collections of Odontolabini entirely at my disposal. The latter 
collection includes the types of Counts Mniszech and Castelnau, as well as some of 
those of Messrs. Deyrolle and Parry. I was also fortunate in obtaining rich materials 
from the private collections of Messrs. Bates, Distant, Forbes, Janson, Meldola, Moore, 
Newcombe, Pettigrew, Oberthiir, and Swierstra. The amount of material thus placed 
at my disposal was the most extensive which could be brought together for the purpose 
at the present time. 
