ARTICLE XVI. 
Revision of the Buprestidee of the United States. Bp John L. Le Conte, M. D. Read 
October 21 st, 1859* 
The family of Coleopterous insects treated of in the present memoir has ever been a 
favourite with Entomologists on account of the large size and splendid colours of many 
of the species which compose it. Nevertheless the imperfect manner in which it has been 
studied, and the very superficial observations regarding the generic differences and rela¬ 
tions, entirely precluded the possibility of any American entomologist producing a sys¬ 
tematic work on this family. Happily, the appearance of the fourth volume of the great 
work of Lacordaire on the genera of Coleoptera, in which this family is treated of, has 
entirely removed this difficulty, and I now find myself able to present descriptions of the 
numerous new species which have been accumulating in my collection. 
The author of the work just mentioned, having been able to study species of all the 
genera so crudely described by previous authors, has been enabled to eliminate the errors 
of observation and the imperfections resulting from the vague ideas of those who had pre¬ 
viously attempted a classification of this family. 
In studying the species found within our territories, I have found but little to change 
from the arrangement proposed by Lacordaire, who has, apparently, grouped the genera 
in a natural manner, and with the usual happy results that attend his labours. The 
main difference, I have introduced, is one, perhaps, inevitable from the fact that the ma¬ 
terial subjected to examination has been different; his observations extend over the species 
of the entire globe, while mine are confined to those of a portion of one continent. With¬ 
out at all contending for the superior merit of any change introduced by me, I will only 
say, that the division of the entire family into groups of equal value has appeared to me 
the most satisfactory in arranging the material in my possession. 
I should gladly have attributed to the antennal pores observed in the species of this 
family, the primary importance given them in the work of my learned friend, but that I 
[* From Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, Nov. 1859 ] 
