185G.] Entomological Papers. 381 



to 42 were then first collected, (and some of them perhaps invented). 

 Opinions were divided on the subject, but it seems that about A. H. 

 70, the views of those who were against writing, got the upper 

 hand.* But the necessity of having written records was more and 

 more felt, and it appears that several men (among them 'Orwah 

 who died about A. H. 90,) repented towards the end of their days of 

 having destroyed their writings, and whilst some of the traditionists 

 continued even during the second century to resist the progress of a 

 written literature, others — and among them the Khalif 'Omar b. 'Abd 

 al'Azyz — made great efforts to preserve ^adythes iu books. In the 

 third century the question whether it was lawful to take Aadythes 

 to paper was purely theoretical. Writing was so common that 

 whatever evidence there might have been of its not being lawful, 

 nothing could have put it down. The unfortunate system, however, of 

 giving the Isnads instead of referring to books, and of considering 

 every Aadyth as a whole, continued and did much mischief and 

 causes great confusion, as I have shown in former articles. 



Entomological Papers — "being descriptions of new Ceylon Coleoptera 

 with such observations on their habits as appear in any way interest- 

 ing. — By John Nietner, Colombo, Ceylon. 



Introductory Note — on the publication of new species under disadvantages such 

 as describing entomologists necessarily labour under, in countries remote from the 

 European centres of science. 



I little doubt that the following descriptions of new Coleoptera 

 will meet with anything but approbation from the entomological 

 world at home. As, however, in spite of this anticipation of an un- 

 gracious reception I shall hardly desist from my purpose of publish- 

 ing such descriptions hereafter, I may as well try to vindicate this 

 measure by setting forth the reasons which induce me to consider 



* They may have been actuated by the spirit of 'Omar and by conscientious 

 motives but from para. 8 and also partly from para. 12 we see that these old men 

 who had seen the prophet were partly influenced by a childish desire to have the 

 monopoly of information regarding him. Childish objects of this description are 

 conspicuous throughout all the sciences of /*adyth. 



