W. L. Distant: Mr. Kirby on thc Hemiptera of Ceylon. 71 



an die Auslassung zweier Arten. Es sind von Kar seh Ein- 

 sprüche ganz anderer Natur gegen jene Arbeiten gemacht worden.) 

 Hiermit überlasse ich ruhig meine Controverse mit Mr. 

 Kirby dem Urtheile der Fachgenossen. Ich bedauere nur, dass 

 er in meiner „Note" nichts Anderes hat finden können , als 

 einen „unprovoked personal attack". Nichts lag mir ferner, als 

 Mr. Kirby's Person angreifen zu wollen. Nur der Sache halber 

 und weil Mr. Kirby sich auf einem entschieden unrichtigen 

 Wege befindet, habe ich seine Arbeit besprochen. Amicus Plato, 

 sed magis amica veritas. 



Mr. Kirby on the Hemiptera of Ceylon. 



By W. L. Distant 



(in Purley , Surrey , England). 



Any doubt existing as to the perfect justification of 

 Dr. Bergroth's criticism on Mr. Kirby's notorious paper on 

 the Ceylon Rhynchota is quite dispelled after reading Mr. K i r b y's 

 extraordinary rejoinder. This reply? consists of an attack on 

 the work of the late Dr. S t ä 1 , a commendation of the writings 

 of the late Fräs. Walker and a reference to myself. Of the 

 first little need be said ; no other entomologist could I think 

 be found in this country to agree with Mr. Kirby's distorted 

 conceptions of the writings of Dr. Stal, which is readily ex- 

 plainable by the fact that the critic is a Lepidopterist and has 

 shown himself to be particularly unfamiliar with the Rhynchota. 

 It will therefore be understood both abroad and at home, that 

 Mr. Kirby speaks for himself alone and the reputation of 

 Dr. Stal has therefore not materially suffered. 



The approval of the work of the late Fräs. Walker has 

 already been more amply shown. We have an adage „Imitation 

 is the sincerest. form of flattery", and Mr. Kirby in his Ceylon 

 paper has exactly copied the method of his master. 



I will now only refer to what has been stated with reference 

 to the four species of Cicadidae which were described by Mr. 

 Kirby as new and reported by myself to be moderately well 

 known species. 



Dundubia mixta Kirby = Cicada viridis Fabr. Mr. Kirby 

 lightly touches the fact that he described as a Dundubia a 



Wiener Entoraologische Zeitung, XII. Jahrg., 2. Heft (10. März 1893). 



