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XXXIV. On the Paussidce, a Family of Coleopterous Insects. 
By Mr. J. 0. West wood, F.L.S. 
Bead June 1, 1830. 
Influenced by the desire which every naturalist ought to 
entertain, that the treasures of Nature collected and discovered 
by his countrymen, or added to our museums and cabinets 
through their zeal and assiduity, should also be made known 
by fellow-naturalists of his native rather than of foreign coun- 
tries, (although for the advancement of science it might even 
be wished that these treasures, rather than remain unnoticed 
and undescribed, should be thrown open to the examination of 
and be described by foreign naturalists ;) and considering it the 
duty of every member of the Linnean Society to add his mite, 
however scanty, to the stores of knowledge which are recorded 
in its Transactions, — it was my intention, on becoming ac- 
quainted with the interesting nondescript insect, subsequently 
described under the name of Pentaplatarthrus Paussoides, merely 
to have offered to the Society its description, with a few ob- 
servations upon its affinities, to prove its relationship to the 
Paussidce , one of the most interesting families of Coleopterous 
insects. On discovering, however, in our cabinets, in addition 
to this new genus, not only several other undescribed species 
belonging to the family, but also such a variation of structure 
in some of the known species as to warrant their separation 
from Paussus, and finding that confusion had been introduced 
into the nomenclature even of the few species composing the 
vol. xvi. 4 i family, 
