NEED OF LITERATURE ON COLEOPTERA. 



3 



The name, the place which it holds among other objects of na- 

 ture, its relation to them and through them to mankind, is there- 

 fore the primary or essential knowledge concerning any bird, insect 

 or plant which the true student of nature should desire. He can 

 get the name and its place in nature only through books prepared 

 by the scientist, and if these are lacking his study of nature is most 

 seriously handicapped. 



For 25 years the collecting and study of the beetles of Indiana 

 has been one of the hobbies to which I have given much spare time. 

 Happiest those days in which I have wandered far and wide through 

 field and woodland, adding here and there some specimen before un- 

 seen, noting now and again some life habit, some food-plant or place 

 of retreat, before unobserved. Ever and always, however, have I 

 felt the need of some one work to which I could refer, some manual 

 or descriptive list by which I could locate the name and place of 

 the specimens at hand. Since the beetles or Coleoptera form one of 

 the most abundant and attractive groups of insects and are easily 

 collected and preserved, they would furnish a favorite subject for 

 study, especially in high schools, could they only be easily named 

 and placed. But the literature through which their original de- 

 scriptions are scattered comprises hundreds of papers and books, 

 many of which have been out of print for years. The student, 

 therefore, who becomes interested and attempts their study soon 

 gives it up as a hopeless task, unless he has access for reference to 

 some large named collection, or can secure aid from specialists in 

 some locality where such collection is located. Having, as above 

 stated, experienced for years the need of a descriptive work which 

 included the species found in Indiana and adjoining States, and 

 having possessed myself at much cost and labor with most of the 

 scattered literature pertaining to the group, I have prepared the 

 present paper, not for specialists in Coleoptera, but for beginners, 

 a few of whom, I trust, may in time become enough interested to 

 devote their lives to the ever-pleasing, health-giving and inspiring 

 study of Nature. That many mistakes have crept into it there is 

 no doubt, but it is offered as the best that I can give with the facili- 

 ties at hand. 



The paper is in very great part based upon species .which I have 

 seen from Indiana. These are in my private collection, or if not 

 there represented, are in the collections of A. B. Wolcott of Chicago, 

 R. L. Webster of Ames, Iowa, or Chas. Dury of Cincinnati, who 

 have loaned me specimens from time to time. In a very feAV in- 



