S8 CONCLUDING REMARKS. 



greater chasm than usual should occur, why should we 

 conclude that the Creator has left the chain at this place 

 imperfect ? — This question is the more forcible, as Nature 

 is plainly here proceeding towards the general habit of the 

 Cetonijche; Avhich indeed is evident as well from the place 

 ascribed by Fabricius and Olivier to the modern RutelideB 

 in their respective systems, as from that sort of bifid cly- 

 peus and labrum which is peculiar to Chasmodia, finding 

 no parallel among the Thalerophagous Petalocera except 

 in the family of Cetoniidce *. 



If the families in the other circle and among the Rec- 

 tocera are apparently more natural, that is, in the common 

 acceptation of the word, more easily and precisely defined, 

 it is only because there the natural chain is more imperfect, 

 and the chasms more frequent. Yet it is remarkable how, 

 as our knowledge of species is advanced by the labours of 

 collectors, even these apparendy natural (or more properly 

 speaking, artificial) families are confined or encroached 

 upon by newly discovered species. The geneva ElepJiasto- 

 mus and Athyreus, already alluded to, are proofs of this ; 

 why then may not an insect yet occur with membra- 

 naceous mandibles, of which it may be diflncult to say 

 whether it ought to be ranged with the Geotrupidce or the 

 Scarabaida.'^ 



In proportion as the chain of organized beings becomes 

 more complete in a particular family, it is easy to see 

 that there must be greater difficulty in its subdivision; 

 and it is on this account that in the families which 

 are considered to be the most natural, the difficulty of 

 making what are termed good or natural genera is the 



' Cetonia Brnwnii. Kirby Trans. Linn. Soc. vol.xii. p. 465. 



