24 



with the Carabidas, also a prominent character of this fauna. But 

 here the larger part of the species are of small size, and there- 

 fore not fit for exhibition. The same objection in other groups 

 made it very doubtful if the place allotted to beetles could be filled 

 in a proper manner. Then I endeavored to make a very careful 

 review of the insects belonging to the fauna of Europe and Siberia, 

 to decide the best arrangement of them for the exhibition with the 

 material actually at hand. The result was very discouraging. 

 Siberia is wanting; the west of Europe (Great Britain, France), 

 the south (Spain, Portugal, Italy, Turkey, Greece), and the east 

 (the vast territory of Russia) are, except some isolated species, not 

 represented in the collection. Only Dr. JmhofT's collection from 

 Switzerland represents all orders, but the old specimens are often 

 unfit for exhibition. From adjacent parts in Germany, some fine 

 butterflies and beetles are at hand. The subalpine character of 

 the north of Europe is to some extent represented by the insects 

 from Switzerland. After having clearly faced the question, I 

 should say that it may be with some difficulty possible to make 

 this part, with the insects enumerated above, belonging to a small 

 part of Central Europe. But this exhibition cannot be considered 

 as representing the fauna of Europe and Siberia. 



To gain more experience for my work, I postponed finishing the 

 European exhibition, and began that for South America, which is 

 more fully represented in the collection. After having filled three 

 boxes with Lepidoptera, and two with beetles, all the rest has to 

 go in one box. Though always the best specimens were selected, 

 the exhibition is very far from satisfactory. The contents of the 

 collection are nearly all from Brazil, with some fine Coleoptera 

 from Cordova, in the Argentine Republic. With rare exceptions, 

 the part south from Brazil, the exceptional interesting fauna of 

 the west (Chili, Peru, Ecuador) is wanting; the large country 

 north of the Amazon is only represented by isolated specimens. 

 Diptera and Hymenoptera are almost wanting. 



The Asiatic exhibition will be similar to the South American. 

 The good and showy specimens of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera 

 are all from Rev. M. Carleton's collection in the Himalaya. 

 China and Japan are poorly represented, and the islands of the 

 large Archipelago only by some exceptional insects. 



For the Australian exhibition I presume a very small collection 

 may be exhibited ; for Africa and Madagascar, even less. 



