I 



116 OLAFSEN AND POVELSEn's 



INSECTS. 



There has hitherto been but little information obtained of the 

 insects that exist in northern countries; and it has been even 

 asserted that few are to be found in Norway, and in Iceland 

 none at all, in consequence of the cold which prevails there. 

 Horrebow and Linnaeus have, however, proved the contrary: and 

 in Iceland rhe people are acquainted with several. AVhen our tra- 

 vellers passed through the island, being on horseback, and the 

 season being intemperate, they had but little opportunity of 

 attending to this branch of natural history; but when M. Olafsen 

 was in Iceland in the year 1760, he made a collection, and 

 in one small valley found upwards of two hundred species. He 

 afterwards classed and arranged them; but he justly observes, 

 that, " though insects excite our curiosity and admiration by the 

 minuteness of their conformation, the distinct and singular organi- 

 zation of their parts, their metamorphoses, economy, &c.; yet 

 such details, however interesting to the philosopher, are neither 

 useful nor agreeable to readers in general." In the present work 

 the authors consequently confine themselves to such as are most 

 remarkable for their useful or injurious qualities. They divide 

 them into the six classes of Coleopterous, Hemipterous, Lepi- 

 dopterous, Hymenopterous, Dipterous, and Apterous. In their 

 descriptions they incorporate the remarks and opinions of the 

 Icelanders on the different species; but as these contain nothing 

 interesting, we shall, for the information of the scientific reader, 

 merely insert their names and characteristics. They are the 

 Der?nestes tomentosus ovatus, auratonebulosus, or Hamisphceria 

 Hillii; Carculio abdomine ovato niger, colcoptris striato gra- 

 nutatis; Thaphylinus pubcscens niger, or Maxillosus Linncei; 

 Dytiscus nigro-bruneus extremo abdominis ulbido ; Scarabceus 

 (vulgaris niger) Scarabceus thoraci inermi negro elytris rubris 

 or Scarabceus jimetarius Linncei ; Phalcena (maxima) colore 

 obscure sericeo pallescente, fyc; Phalcena tota aurea, punctulis 

 nigris conspersa ; Teuthredo aculeo crasso ; Ichneumon niger ; 

 Apis hirsuta nigra, the Apis serrestris Linncei, and Bombylius 

 auctorum. I'ipula (maxima) alis hyalinis dilute fusca,§c; Tipula 

 lutea alis albis, in sedendo orectis ; Tipula nigra subvirescens, 

 alis hyalinis non punctatis; Tipula nigra subhirta, alis hyalinis 

 pedibusferrugineis; Musca (variegata) thorace nigro, nitente 

 abdomine virescenti,S)C. ; Musca hirsuta lutea, puncto alarum 

 fusco; Musca gibba, capite albo, luteo et viride variegato, cor* 

 pore aureo; Musca aurata, thorace nigro, abdomine cairules-* 

 viridi Linncei; Hippobosca ovina, alis nullis; Pediculus 

 cdpite et thorace rubris, abdomine cinereo-albido; Pediculus 

 (aha arctica) e cinereo c&mlescens ; Pediculus capite fusco , 



