62 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



[March, 



slightly shorter, the tibia and the tarsi are one-third shorter than those 

 on the right side ; the posterior trochanter on the left side is smaller, 

 the femur is about one-third shorter and less fully developed, the 

 tibia is one-third shorter, and the tarsi one-half shorter than those on 

 the right side. Apion violaceum. — I have one which was captured by 

 Mr. Ludgrove, of Nottingham, of which the disc on each elytron are 

 glabrous, the third and fourth stria are recurved into each other at 

 the basal and apical ends of the discs. Sitones tibiale. — I obtained a 

 specimen by sweeping on Kinder Scout, about 1878, having the pos- 

 terior angles of the thorax dilated, thus forming an acute tooth at each 

 posterior angle. — Joseph Chappell, C-on-M., Manchester. 



The Classification of Coleoptera Historically 

 Considered. 



By W. E. SHARP. 

 PART II. 



In a former number we attempted to trace the rise of the study of 

 Entomology, and to show how the order Coleoptera especially had 

 been treated by various naturalists, from the time of Aristotle to the 

 the beginning of the present century. We briefly indicated what had 

 been the part taken by the great masters, Ray, Linnaeus, and Fab- 

 ricius, in the development of our knowledge of this order, and showed 

 that as regards its classification, naturalists were at that period pretty 

 well divided into the schools of tarsalists and antennalists. 



But one name that appears at the beginning of this century marks 

 a distinct epoch. We refer to the Abbe Latreille, who, considered 

 solely as an entomologist, is perhaps the most considerable that the 

 world has yet seen. He demands more detailed notice. Pierre Andre 

 Latreille was born at Brives in 1762. He took orders and finally 

 became Abbe of Brives. In his clerical character he incurred, with 

 the rest of his order, the enmity of the Republic, and narrowly escaped 

 transportation to Guiana, but the entomologist saved the priest. The 

 story is well known, how imprisoned in Toulon, Latreille perceived a 

 strange coleoptera appearing from a crack in the wall of the cell in 

 which he was confined, how he, assured of the rarity of the insect, by 

 its means secured the interest of a powerful brother entomologist, 

 through the medium of the prison doctor, and how his friend obtained 

 his release and pardon, and thus secured an honoured old age for the 



