Book Description

Excerpt from Natural History of the Insects of India: Containing Upwards of Two Hundred and Twenty Figures and Descriptions That the East Indies is the real locality of the insect here represented, is rendered most probable, from the circumstance of several other, and very closely allied species, being found in that part of the world. Such are the Scarabaeus Caucasus, Fabr. (described from an East Indian Specimen in the British Museum, and regarded by Olivier, and Jablonsky, as a variety of Atlas) Scarabeus Charon, Oli-v. The Javanese Scarabaeus Hector, Dejean; Dynastes Hesperus, Erickson, from the island of Luzon; and Dynastes J ephthah, of macleay, (in the collection of the Entomological Society). It is true that the chief distinctions amongst these species are found in the Size of the horns of the head and thorax, and in the teeth, or serration of the hinder part of the horn of the head; but it is-equally true, that we are by no means furnished with sufficiently accurate data for ascertaining the extent of variation in the cornuted Scarabaei in this respect, and we are therefore by no means enabled to regard these as satisfactory Species. Indeed, in the volume of the Naturalist's Library devoted to exotic Coleoptera, we have an original figure of an insect, with the name of Atlas attached, in which the horn of the head has a double series of serratures from the base to the apex, and which was broughtpfrom Rangoon; and in the F abrician description this horn is stated to be tridentate, the anterior tooth being the strongest. As it is, however, most probable that some, at least, of the above mentioned Species are distinct, it is convenient to regard these insects as forming a distinct sub genus, characterized not only by the peculiar structure of the horns, and the polished surface of the body, but by the variations in the structure-of the mouth. Mr. Ihope has accordingly given to them the name of Chalcosoma, in his Coleopterous Manual. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.