206 



opinions; ^me, like myself, will think the removal of the Staphy- 

 linidse to the end of his arrangement is not an improvement ; for 

 I cannot but think there is a close affinity between this family 

 and the Silphidae ; but I have paid too little attention to, or rather 

 I should say I have not at any time sufficiently studied, the Order 

 to render any opinion of my own of much value. Were I to 

 express an opinion as to what is a species, and what is a variety, 

 1 should differ from Mr. Crotch as regards the species of his first 

 genus. I certainly consider Cicindela maritima a distinct species 

 from Cicindela hybrida ; and on the first page I could point out two 

 or thi'ee other similar cases ; but, as I have previously remarked, these 

 are minor considerations, — mere matters of opinion. 



On one point I think all Coleopterists will agree, that we are much 

 indebted to Mr. Crotch for giving us the result of his studies. A 

 Coleopterist who has worked with both head and hands, like Mr. 

 Crotch, who has made himself acquainted with the contents of the 

 principal cabinets of Europe, and who has proved his capabilities for 

 the task he undertook, could not fail to produce a work that should 

 do honour both to himself and to the Science he cultivates. 



Many short notices of specific differences will be found in the 

 * Zoologist' for the past year, and I select one as an example of the 

 facility with which we are enabled to distinguish species very closely 

 resembling each other. In some notes on Philonthus temporalis Mr. 

 Rye gives three outlines which at once enable us to separate Philon- 

 thus temporalis, P. punctiventris and P. geneus, — species strongly 

 resembling each other. I mention this as an example most worthy 

 of being followed : a few strokes of the pencil will frequently effect 

 more than half a page of description ; and any method that will faci- 

 litate the discrimination of species with ease and facility, is a boon 

 to Entomologists. 



The present volume contains five contributions from Mr. Arthur 

 Adams. I would warn Entomologists not to allow themselves to be 

 misled by this author : he frequently gives the most delusive titles to 

 his papers. The first he calls " Rambles in search of Land Shells :" 

 those who have little or no interest in laud shells would be apt at 

 once to turn on to the next article ; but I have found Mr. Adams ou 

 these rambles so alive to everything that surrounds his path, that I 

 never allow myself to trust to his titles. If you accompany Mr. 

 Adams in search of his land shells, you soon discover huge cock- 

 roaches gathering their young around them as a hen gathers her 

 chickens ; Opati'ums are found on barren spots, and blue, brown, and 



