Beetles of British Guiana. 63 
People naturally complain of such insects as nuisances, 
and think more of the injury they do or the trouble they 
give than of the habits of the insects themselves or of 
the part which they play in the economy of nature ; and 
still entomology is a very interesting study, and so fas- 
cinates some of those who devote themselves to it, that 
they sigh because life is so short and entomology so 
long. British Guiana affords those who live in it, and 
more particularly those who spend a good deal of their 
time out of doors, many favourable opportunities of 
studying this subject. In a paper like this I can only 
notice briefly a few of the salient points of the science, 
hoping that this short and imperfect sketch may induce 
some of those who read it to look farther into the matter. 
Since the time of LlNN^EUS the Coleoptera or Beetles 
have stood at the head of the insect division of the 
animal kingdom. They are sometimes said to be among 
insects what the lion and the tiger are among quadrupeds, 
or the eagle among birds, and are marked by the com- 
pactness, solidity and symmetry of their structure. Their 
great size as insects, their fantastic forms, and the 
diversity of their colours, some of them being very 
brilliant, attract attention, while the fact that they are 
easily preserved in living beauty has long rendered 
them favourite subjects of study. This order contains 
some of the largest and probably also some of the 
smallest insects in existence. Certain of the Phasma 
family are longer than any beetle, and some of the larger 
butterflies and moths are broader across the wings, but 
if we take length, breadth, and thickness together, no 
insect approaches the larger beetles in massive bulk. 
British Guiana is comparatively rich in beetles. 
