46 
SYSTEMS OJ? ENTOMOLOGY. 
that the student should confine himself to that system, but merely* 1 
introduce him to a knowledge of the Families, for in this term $ 
genera of Linne may certainly be applied in most cases, and wlw 
every entomologist will readily admit. Mr. Spence has observed? * 
his excellent Monograph of the Genus Cholev a in the Xlth vol. of ^ 
Transactions of the Limuetm Society : “It is contrary both to analog 
and experience to suppose the Creator has formed fewer of tM-' 1 
groupes into which we divide the vast tribes of nature by the name" 
genera in one department than in another. Now in Botany, in wll^J 
not more than about 20, 000 species have been described, wc have iipwa 1 
of 2000 genera. In Entomology at least as many species are already # 
scribed ; and when we combine the circumstances, that in Britain F 
fewer than 8000 species of insects are to be found, while wc have ab« 1 ' 
3000 plants; and these arc probably not one halfof the European instf* 
while we know that every other cjuarter of the globe is still more pF 
lific in species wholly different; and lastly, that every kind of pi* 1 ' 
probably affords nutriment on the average to three or four species 1 ' 
insects, there can be little doubt that the insect is vastly more pop’ 1 
Ions than the vegetable world. Is it likely then that the number 1 ' 
genera should be much fewer than in botany; or at any rate that 1 
should not very greatly exceed its present amount? We need i'*’ 
feai that the science will he rendered more difficult by an au _ in 1 ''' 
tation ol its genera, lhis cannot happen, if a proper system be adof* 
ed. If two or three insects, or even a single one, be strikingly char* 1 
teracd by peculiarity of habit, they certainly ought in any” system 11 
he distinguished at least as sections of the genera under which they *** 
placed. And will it increase the difficulty of investigation if they ’* 
established as genera upon the same characters, and distinguished V 
name? Clearly not. On the contrary, the science can be effectual 
promoted in no other way; lor names have an important influeD c ‘ 
upon the clearness of our ideas, and it will be impossible for us 
to gain correct views of the philosophy of our science while genera 
sentially distinct are jumbled together under one title. 
“ Entomology', therefore, is under the greatest obligations to 111$' 
in Germany, Latreille in France,” (Kirby, Leach, and Spence in 
gland) ; who having had the good sense to reject the useless while 1 1 1 
retain the valuable parts of the Fabrician system, are labouring, by & 
institution of new genera built upon firm and intelligible characters. fl 
extricate the science from the chaos into which that author has o F 
wittingly reduced it. Fabricius’s system has now had a fair trial * 
upwards of thirty years, and it was at one time universally followed & 
the continent; yet so far is experience from having confirmed the 3 -"' 
sertion of its author, that tire Limuean system is only calculated 11 
introduce confusion into the science, that the very system profess*® 
to dissipate th^t confusion is even now fast sinking into oblivion, wlw 
