1 848.] Notice on the Coleoptera of Hong Kong. 209 



The few remarks I have made on Hong Kong Coleoptera may pos- 

 sibly attract the attention of Indian Entomologists to the descriptions 

 which I trust Mr. Bo wring may find leisure and inclination to make 

 when in London, where he will have access to the numerous Indian 

 genera lately published. I have done far too little whilst abroad in 

 Entomology to be more than a mere field collector, which must be my 

 apology for the unscientific mode in which my notes are put together. 



Out of the six hundred Sp. Mr. Bowring has collected of Chinese 

 Coleoptera, at least fiveh undred require careful search amongst flowers, 

 or under stones or other localities. Hong Kong is chiefly Indian in 

 its forms, but the capture of so many Carabideous genera leads to the 

 supposition that Northern China, where a true Carabus is found, must 

 contain some interesting Beetles approaching to the European forms. 

 The Chinese are a nation who, satisfied with the knowledge they acquired 

 centuries back, remain stationary and have no turn for the advance 

 which science has made in every branch in Europe. They are not 

 likely to do much for the science. 



Central China is nearly on the same isothermal line with the Medi- 

 terranean ; although more southerly in latitude. Its climate and pro- 

 ductions are however very different. Cold dry weather and northerly 

 winds during winter, cold fogs during spring, extreme moisture accom- 

 panying the setting in of the South West Monsoon during May and 

 June, after which there is excessive heat until autumn, when the wea- 

 ther becomes rainy and very changeable. In Southern Europe, rain in 

 winter ; dry heat from spring to autumn. In vain do we look on the 

 sea shore of China for the Scaritidse and Pimeliee so abundant in the 

 Mediterranean. The cold season is in no country very productive of 

 Insects ; that of Hong Kong produces numerous species of the only 

 ones likely to be found during that season of the year — the Carabideous 

 forms, whilst the China Pine, Dog Violets, Azaleas and Honeysuckles 

 are in blossom. From all I know of Hong Kong Entomology I should 

 say that the scanty notices hitherto published respecting China Proper 

 give a very inadequate idea of its Entomological resources, and that 

 when the time arrives that its interior can be explored, many novelties 

 will reward the labours of the Naturalist. 



