Insects. 3583 



derived his characters from all the states, although the preference for 

 those taken from the perfect insect is manifest, the study of the larva? 

 not being so much advanced (at least at that period) in England as in 

 other countries. Mr. Stephens has analyzed with care all the charac- 

 ters, and especially those of the palpi, which he has detailed with 

 great minuteness. The other parts are not more neglected, and the 

 author has shown in the 'generalities' the principal differences which 

 distinguish them. 



" But the specific part is as defective as the generic part is praise- 

 worthy. The species created from simple varieties are scarcely less 

 numerous than those of Haworth, and one vainly endeavours to recog- 

 nize them by the aid of the descriptions, which are altogether wanting 

 in precision. The synonymy which would have helped their insuffi- 

 ciency is very limited and very careless ; and if I have been able to 

 introduce into my work the Noctuse of Mr. Stephens which correspond 

 with ours, I am especially indebted to Mr. Doubleday, who made 

 known to me a part of them in nature." 



" Some plates, moderately executed, accompany the work of Mr. 

 Stephens, which comprises the insects of all orders which inhabit 

 Britain, and shows a great variety of knowledge, and a considerable 

 and careful study of the exterior anatomy." 



One great fault of the 'Illustrations' is the impossibility of knowing 

 what is original and what copied; and in numerous instances, the de- 

 scriptions being translations from Ochsenheimer, &c, do not apply to 

 the species intended by Mr. Stephens. M. Guenee has repeatedly 

 noticed this in his letters to me. As an instance I may mention Eu- 

 pcecilia dubitana. An iusect has long been known by this name in 

 England ; and in the * Illustrations ' a description is given in which 

 the head is said to be white : but the species known at that time in 

 England has a black head, and is now called " atricapitana " by Mr. 

 Stephens, but erroneously stated to have been captured near Bristol. 

 Mr. Sircom discovered the true dubitana in that neighbourhood about 

 three years since, and sent specimens to me : it was then unknown in 

 the London cabinets, and I forwarded some to Zeller, who kindly 

 , named it for me, informing me at the same time that the black-headed 

 species was new to him. 



An error as to locality has also been made w T ith regard to the Pero- 

 nea, discovered by my friend Mr. Edwin Shepherd. This species 

 feeds upon the meadow-sweet (Spiraea Ulmaria), and I proposed to 

 name it Spirseana ; but Mr. Stephens has named it " Shepherdana," 

 and says it w T as found at " Shepherd's Bush, Middlesex," whereas Mr. 



