i 8S5-] Analyses of Books. 421 
between other species or groups which may chance to be widely 
separated in our necessarily artificial arrangements.” 
We have been disposed to quote the above passage not as con- 
taining any absolutely novel conception, but as being fairly 
representative of the manner in which the organic world appears 
to those who are constantly in the habit of studying it, not in 
books, but face to face ; unless indeed they are blinded by early 
prepossessions arid a priori notions, — fragments of the official 
mantle of Cuvier, which remaineth upon the eyes of the “ SeCtion 
of Zoology and Anatomy ” of that most bureaucratic body, the 
French Academy of Sciences. 
The following passage may be commended to the many who 
seem to mistake the scope of Entomology : — “ The collector’s 
province may be exhausted in a few years ; but the observers, 
never.” 
From the immense extent of the subjeCt it has been, of course, 
impossible for the author to describe every species, or even every 
genus. He has been compelled to restrict himself in every 
family to the most characteristic forms. We note that in his 
arrangement of beetles he places the Brachelytra not as is done, 
e.g., by Stephens, at the end of the order, but next after the 
Palpicornia. A well-known carrion beetle, lately known as 
Oiceptoma tlioracica, is restored to the original genus Silpha. 
The genus Typhceus, however, is retained for the black three- 
horned dung-beetle of Epping Forest. The locality given for 
Purpuricenus Kcehleri is “ as far north as the southern slopes of 
the Alps.” These limits require extending ; two specimens in 
our possession we captured near Neuwied, on the Rhine. 
When speaking of the earwig, Mr. Kirby tells us that he has 
heard of perfectly trustworthy cases in which this inseCt has en- 
tered the human ear. 
Among the exotic species of inseCts which have succeeded in 
becoming acclimatised in England is the little yellow Brazilian 
ant, Diplorhoptrum molestum. Its introduction does not seem 
to date back beyond the present century. This faCt gives a 
certain weight to Mr. Kirby’s caution that certain species of 
Termites may possibly naturalise themselves in our midst. 
The illustrations to this work are numerous, and, although not 
coloured, are well fitted for their purpose. There has been no 
attempt to make them into ornaments. In our opinion Mr. 
Kirby has executed his task — evidently a labour of love — in a 
very satisfactory manner. 
