568 Suites a Buffon. 



The present work is of a more comprehensive character. Besides 

 describing the species known to be natives of France, as well as 

 such kinds belonging to the adjacent districts as are thought likely 

 to occur in that country (of course indicating the latter by a dis- 

 tinctive mark), the types of other European genera are noticed, and 

 an account given of the principal foreign Diptera found in French 

 cabinets, with a view of supplying the deficiencies of Wiedemann's 

 Exotic Diptera. In order to accomplish these various objects within 

 a limited space, the descriptions and genera] history are very much 

 condensed, but no important fact appears to be omitted. Being 

 now familiar with the subject, the author acts a more independent 

 part, and proposes various new genera, most of them on such judi- 

 cious grounds that they can scarcely fail to be generally adopted. 

 One of the most valuable parts of the work, and which tends more 

 than any other to facilitate the study, is the synoptical tables of the 

 genera prefixed to each family. Upon the whole, a safer guide than 

 Macquart in the study of this interesting tribe of insects, cannot be 

 obtained, not only on account of his own intrinsic merits, but as being 

 the most recent writer on the subject, and consequently able to avail 

 himself of all that is most valuable in the works of his predecessors ; 

 and this he must be admitted to have done with considerable judg- 

 ment. 



The accompanying fasciculi of plates merit the praise of consi- 

 derable accuracy, and are therefore useful as illustrating the text, 

 but they are executed with little taste, and have scarcely any 

 value as works of art. In the productions of Curtis, Westwood, 

 Swainson, and others, we are now becoming familiar with such ele- 

 gant delineations of insect forms, that this defect appears more con- 

 spicuous than it would have done at a former period. The cheap- 

 ness of the French plates constitutes their principal recommendation, 

 but even this does not appear incompatible with a more tasteful exe- 

 cution ; if it be, no one would refuse to sacrifice something to the 

 graces. 



To Dr Boisduval none of our entomological readers require any in- 

 troduction. He has long since established a claim on their favourable 

 regard by the publication of various valuable papers on insects, parti- 

 cularly that relating to the natural history of those of Madagascar. The 

 lepidopterous tribes especially, have been his favourite study, and in 

 the work cited above, (viz. Species General) we have the fruit of an 

 almost uninterrupted attention to the subject from the time that he 



