16 
nately copying from books, without any knowledge of the ani¬ 
mals themselves, he fell into numerous errors. Three species he 
added to the enumeration of Fabricius, from the works of Pallas, 
viz. Oe. Ant eloper., Fasciculosus, and Hominis, which there is much 
reason to believe from his descriptions are all false ; and instead 
of placing the Equi in the name of Bovis, as his excellent original 
had done, we find the heemorrhoidalis; and by placing the Equi 
again in the name of heemorrhoidalis , and mixing the references 
to each, an almost inextricable labyrinth of confusion is the con¬ 
sequence, while the true Bovis still escapes undescribed, unless as 
being the same as heemorrhoidalis. 
The mistake of heemorrhoidalis for Bovis arose probably from 
their similarity in description, in which they certainly interfere 
very much ; though no two species can be more distinct when 
seen together than these. This will ever be the bane of mere 
compilation in natural history. 
In continuing to the present time this brief view of their his¬ 
tory, or the detection of their habits, I am necessarily led to 
notice a memoir or essay of my own, formerly transmitted to the 
Linnean Society, and published in the 3d volume of their Trans¬ 
actions, p. 289, of which I consider this present work as only a 
more digested and extended account. This was in the year 1796, 
or about nineteen years ago ; and which memoir, as it adds a few 
new discoveries respecting them, concludes this historical view of 
the developement of their habits. 
We are led to apprehend, that this family may be usefully 
divided into three sections or subdivisions, according to the dif¬ 
ferent parts or situations in the body the Larvas inhabit, viz. the 
Gastricolee, or those which inhabit the stomachs of animals. It 
