PREFACE. XV 



composition of the Families and Groups, no very 

 great anomalies will occur. He is aware of the dif- 

 ficulty of the undertaking, and will undoutedly err 

 like his predecessors; many gaps and apparent 

 omissions will necessarily appear in the grouping 

 of the Families, deficiencies which future discoveries 

 will no doubt assist to rectify. To return however 

 to Groups, I have stated above that the Cicinde- 

 loidea was the first sub-group of the Adephaga, 

 which latter has naturally been subdivided into two 

 groups, the Terrestrial and Aquatic Adephaga; the 

 former has received the denomination of Geode- 

 phaga, and comprehends the Cicindelidous and 

 Carabideous families : the latter also has been 

 named by Mr. MacLeay, Hydradephaga, and in- 

 cludes the Genera Dyticus and Gyrinus of Linneus. 

 The next important group which follows the Aquatic 

 Adephaga, has been denominated Rypophaga by 

 Mr. Stephens (i. e. the Cleansers), from the impor- 

 tant functions they perform in removing animal and 

 vegetable putrescence. This group has also been 

 divided into three minor groups, viz. the Philydrida, 

 the Necrophaga, and Brachelytra ; preferring the 

 arrangement of Mr. Stephens, who adopts the two 

 former, I leave the latter for the termination of the 

 Coleoptera. 



