Report on Percheron's BiUiographie Entomologique. 269 



cisely detailed, without any of the affectedness of style which we dis- 

 like so much elsewhere, and it is illustrated by nine engravings well 

 wrought from the pencil of the author, exhibiting views of the oste- 

 ology, the muscular arrangement, and the digestive organs in the 

 principal divisions. 



The second part of the book, occupying 500 pages, is devoted to 

 the history of four of the orders " Rasores, Scrapers. Gemitores, 

 Cooers. Deglubibitores, Huskers. Vagatores, Wanderers." This de- 

 scription or historical part wants condensation ; it is much too length- 

 ened, without bringing together the information which is really of 

 use to the student of British ornithology. It is illustrated by wood- 

 cuts of most of the parts which are essential in the system, as generic, 

 many of which are well drawn and executed. We are treated also 

 with " Practical Ornithology," in chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4, but these 

 lessons we dislike in toto, both in substance and in spirit. 



Report hy MM. De Blainville, Isidore Geoffroy, and Dumeril, on 

 M. Percheron's work entitled Rihliographie Entomologique. 



Those who particularly devote themselves to the study of one 

 branch of natural history, have a great interest in becoming acquaint- 

 ed with the works already published on the special object of research 

 or observation with which they are occupied. Accordingly the great- 

 er part of authors make it a rule to indicate in general works the 

 sources whence they have derived their information, and are careful 

 at the same time to arrange their citations in chronological order. 



M. Percheron, who has long been assiduously engaged in the study 

 of insects, on some genera of which he has already published some 

 very good monographs, such as those on Cetonia and Passalus, has 

 strongly felt the necessity of arranging the works from which he ob- 

 tained useful intelhgence, in a series according to their dates. He 

 had accordingly drawn up at first for his own use, a catalogue of all 

 the entomological books whose titles he had become acquainted with, 

 and undertook laborious researches to ascertain as many as possible : 

 this he conceived it would be of advantage to the science, and to 

 those who cultivate it, to publish for general use. He has made 

 it his object to inscribe all the writings relating to insects, considered 

 under the different relations of form, structure, classification, manner, 

 habits, utility, injuries, &c. in a word, all the works on entomology. 



Such is the work which M. Percheron is about to publish, and of 

 which all the sheets hitherto printed have been examined by the 

 above-named commissioners. It is a simple catalogue, in alphabetical 

 order, of the names of authors, with the indication of the complete 



