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MEMOIR OF DE GEER. 
The fourth and fifth are wholly occupied with the 
Coleoptera, and contain an account of numerous larvae 
pertaining to that order which were previously un- 
known. The sixth volume embraces the Diptera. 
The seventh is of a more miscellaneous description, 
and besides some insects properly so called, contains 
a notice of crabs, spiders, scorpions, myriapodes, 
and some other animals which at that period were 
always ranked with insects. It is from this part of 
his work that we have copied the beautiful portrait 
prefixed to the present volume ; but although a post- 
humous publication, it is unfortunately unaccom- 
panied with any account of the author’s life. 
All naturalists competent to form an enlightened 
opinion on the subject, unite in admitting that these 
memoirs are entitled to the very highest praise to 
which a work of this description can lay claim. Both 
nature and fortune conspired to fit De Geer for suc- 
cessfully prosecuting the study to which he was so 
ardently attached. The natural endowments of his 
mind were of no ordinary kind, and the best educa- 
tion which the times could afford had the usual effect 
of strengthening and improving them, and adapting 
them to observe and discriminate with readiness and 
accuracy. His time was at his own disposal, and his 
ample fortune gave him the immediate command of 
every thing that could facilitate his investigations. 
Such a concurrence of favourable circumstances does 
not often happen, and it is not often, therefore, that 
we can expect to be favoured with works of such 
value. They were combined, however in the casf 
