Page:Madras journal of literature and science vol 1 new series 1856-57.djvu/70

58 confine themselves to collecting and observing the habits of the objects of their attention, but that they should never go to print with matters, on which it is impossible for the ablest among them to be quite competent to deal with. These arguments are unfortunately too true, but still I think they admit of being mitigated sufficiently to come to final conclusions less disheartening than the above.

First of all, every entomologist gives preference to a certain order of insects—say Coleoptera—and in this, even in almost all cases, to one or two particular families. In studying for the publication of new species under the disadvantages just mentioned, he will confine himself to this order or perhaps family. Now, although as objected above, the information existing on this particular branch is for the most part fragmentary, still there are certain families on which it has received a tangible shape, through condensation by able hands: Burmeister's Lamellicornes, Dejean's Carabidæ, Erichson's Staphylinidæ, Schoenherr's Curculionidæ, Boheman's Casstdæ, Westwood's Paussidæ, etc., as well as the latter author's general work on the families, and Lacordaire's on the Genera Coleopterorum, diligently consulted, go as guides a long way, and should, although some of them have by the rapid progress of the science become rather antiquated, guard against a number of mistakes of a systematic nature. As to whether a beetle be new or not, I admit that in forming an opinion on this question the entomologist situated as above, will have quite as much to be guided by a certain tact (not clearly definable but understood by scientific men) as by anything else, and I am forced to concede that under almost any circumstances, it is totally impossible to arrive at an indisputable certainty either the one way or the other. This, however, by no means excludes the possibility of his forming an opinion with so much precision, as to enable him to pronounce in the matter with a very high degree of confidence and all probability in his favor. In attempting to come to a decision on this difficult point, he will receive a first superficial idea from careful reflection on certain accidental circumstances, such as size, scarcity, or other peculiarities of the insect in question. This idea, which ever way it may incline, will then either gain or lose strength by diligent reference to his library, until at length with a certain amount of