oct. — dec. 1856. J Descriptions of new Ceylon Coleoptera. 59 



tact and judgment he will arrive at a result, which under such cir- 

 cumstances must carry much weight with it. I shall illustrate this 

 case by an example : If for instance after collecting for five years in 

 Ceylon generally, and in the Colombo District more especially, I find 

 at the latter place an insect — say the Chlcenius b-maoulatus describe 

 ed below for the first time, am I not entitled to consider it as very 

 scarce ? If on consulting my library I discover nothing which can 

 possibly refer to it (finding that not a single Chlcenius is marked as 

 occurring in Ceylon), are not the chances greatly in favor of its be- 

 ing an undescribed species ? If again, I collect beetles as small 

 and inconspicuous as the Trichopteryx described below, and con- 

 sider at the same time that, although they are in certain localities 

 of common occurrence, no professional Coleopterologist has ever 

 collected before me in this Island ; if, moreover, my library offers 

 nothing that could possibly refer to them individually (there being 

 hardly an Asiatic species mentioned), am I under these circum- 

 stances not justified in considering them as undescribed ? Decided- 

 ly I am. Circumstances like these would indeed be altogether con- 

 clusive, if there was not a chance of the beetle occurring in some 

 neighbouring country, and it having thence found its way into the 

 normal collections of Europe. The possibility of such being the 

 case, of course enhances the difficulties of the case very materially, 

 but I do not see why they should not, to a certain degree, be over- 

 come by the same or similar means as those cited for overcoming 

 them in one particular country. 



i I think I have said enough to show,that the disadvantages encoun- 

 tered by the entomologist here, or in other places similarly situated, 

 in conscientiously attempting to publish new species may (his princi- 

 pal assistance being perseverance, a good library and tact— ento- 

 mological instinct I am almost tempted to call it) — be overcome, I 

 am far from saying entirely —hut so far as to expose him from 

 want of resources in the execution of his plan, to no more mistakes 

 than are incident to entomologists under more favourable circum- 

 stances, from neglecting them. But I am not satisfied with obtain- 

 ing the simple grant of permission to describe on the spot a part 

 of what he collects — I claim more for the entomologist abroad. I 

 wish to show that he should naturally be expected— nay desired— 



