AND THEIR TRANSFORMATIONS. 33 
The family comprises only two British genera, it being equally contrary to nature to regard the slight 
Ware Ta] 7 ~< . ~ ~ ® . . . 
characters by which the smaller species are distinguished from each other, (such as the variation in the shape of 
the fan-tail,) as of equal value with those which Separate the two larger species from the rest. This has, 
however, also been done by Mr. Newman in the Entomological Magazine, (vol. i. p- 73,) in an attempt to 
illustrate his septenary system, by showing its applicability in the classification of insects, down to the genera 
and species of the present family. Having, in the former volume of this work, especially investigated the distri- 
bution and nomenclature of the genera of lepidopterous insects, it has become necessary in the present place to 
notice Mr. Newman’s arrangement, in its details. No one has hitherto done this, which may lead to an impres- 
sion of the unquestionable, because unquestioned, truth of the arrangement, just as the quinary analysis of the 
Lamellicorn beetles of Mac Leay has been over and over again assumed to be true, because no one competent 
to the task has undertaken its revision. It would have been uncandid to an author of acknowledged reputation, 
to have passed over his memoir on the present family without remark ; but at the same time I am compelled to 
state my conviction, that Mr. Newman has entirely failed in his attempt to prove the septenary system, by his 
arrangement of these insects. It must be borne in mind, however, that this conviction, and the remarks I have 
been compelled to make in its support, are quite independent of the question, whether Mr. Newman’s system 
be or be not that of nature. 
I regret that I am compelled, in adherence to the rigid law of priority, to reject Mr. Stephens’ name for the 
present family. Scopoli is the author who is entitled to the credit of haying first separated these insects from 
the mass of Linnean Sphingide, namely, in 1777. Fabricius in all his works (except the last) united them as 
aberrant species of Sesia ; which name Laspeyres in 1801 improperly confined to them alone, and his nomenclature 
has been followed by the German and French entomologists up to the present day. Fabricius, however, in his last 
work, adopted the present group, as first proposed by Scopoli; but instead of using the name Trochilium, he 
proposed that uf Aigeria, which Dr. Leach adopted for the whole family; but Mr. Stephens, when he separated 
them into two genera, inappropriately employed the two precisely synonymous words for the two groups. On 
account therefore of the priority of the name Trochilium, as well as because it is very applicable for the majority 
of the family, from which in fact it was characterised, I propose to employ it in future for the family name, 
by giving to it the ordinary family termination. 
DESCRIPTION OF PLATE VII. 

Insects.—Fig. 1. Sphecia Bembeciformis. 15. The Caterpillar | Insects.—Fig. 8. Trochilium Philanthiforme. 
and Chrysalis, sf Fig. 9. Trochilium Tipuliforme. 17. The Caterpillar. 
+ Fig. 2. Sphecia Apiformis. 16. The Caterpillar. 8 Fig. 10. Trochilium Andreneforme. 
di Fig. 3. Trochilium Vespiforme. es Fig. 11. Trochilium Myopzforme. 
2. Fig. 4. Trochilium Chrysidiforme. a Fig. 12. Trochilium Culiciforme. 
- Fig. 9. Trochilium Sphegiforme. | 3 Fig. 13. Trochilium Pion ares: 
+ Fig. 6. Trochilium Cynipiforme. if Fig. 14. Trochilium Formiciforme. 
Fig. 7. Trochilium Ichneumoniforme. Prants.—Fig. 18. Betula alba (common Birch). 
The whole of the insects in this plate are from specimens in the British Museum, with the exception of T. Stomoxyforme and T, Andrenz- 
iformi : in’s plate in the Transacti f tl 
. o. oT 6 ar d e Lransactions ol the 
forme, from the cabinet of Mr. Stephens. The larve of S. Apiformis and 8. Bembeciformis, are from Lewin’s plate in th 
Linnean Society ; and the larva of T. Tipuliforme from Hiibner. H. N. H. 
Fr 

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