126 
BRITISH BEES. 
monograph of European Ichneumons; Erichson’s ela¬ 
borate work upon the Staphylinidse ; and our own Kirby’s 
c Monographia Apum Anglise.’ Their perfection con¬ 
sists in fulfilling thoroughly all the above conditions, 
for if any doubt exist upon comparing your insect with 
their descriptions, you may be fully assured yours is 
not identical. The ouly drawback to the utility of Mr. 
Kirby’s book is that he had to deal with insects variable 
in condition from many causes, and the variable state of 
the insect that may have to be compared; his descrip¬ 
tion has evidently been made sometimes from a worn 
specimen, one that had been exposed to wind and 
weather, and sometimes from an insect in fine condition. 
Thus it is important that compared insects should be in 
an identical state to substantiate the comparison,—a diffi¬ 
culty which this family has specially to contend with, as 
these insects are more liable than almost any others to 
vary, owing to their specific character depending much 
upon pubescence, which is extremely subjected to many 
modifying influences, for the tinges and positive colour 
of the hair will much vary by exposure, as it is not pos¬ 
sible always to capture a bright individual. 
Taking specific description thus practically in its full 
and wide sense, it is requisite, for the purpose of avoid¬ 
ing repetition, that all the characters of the superior 
combinations should be eliminated, leaving it with those 
only which have not been thus absorbed, which now 
constitute its sole remaining distinctive specific pecu¬ 
liarities. Every species necessarily contains within it¬ 
self, every character of every combination in direct line 
above it, although these have been gradually abstracted 
to form those several combinations which are arrived 
at successively in the synthetical ascent. Analytically, 
