PYOHE. INTRODUCTION TO BRAUER AND VON BERGENSTAMM'S VORARBEITEN ZU EINER MONOGRAPHIE DER MUSCARIA SCHIZOMETOPA.mI.

BY C. H. TYLER TOWNSEND.

[The foliowing translation of the in- groups (at least more restricted genera) troductory remarks and generalizations in the Muscidae, but I do not sanction to be found in part of Brauer and v. the extreme to which they have pur- Bergenstamm's work on Tachinidae, sued this plan. Finally, I can riot agree etc., was sent me some time ago by with what is said favoring ghe aban- Professor J. M. Aldrich, of Brookings, donment of generic names long in use._] South Dakota. The translation was It is a fundamental principle in the made in the rough by him, and at his development of the whole Dipterous suggestion I have revised it fi)r publica- stock that, fi'om the lowest (O-ho-- tion. The original suggestion to pub- -ha]Sha zenarocera) to the most dif- lish it was my own. Its appearance ferentiated or highest in English will, I believe, be of advan- sc/fzometopa), the actual value of the tage to American students, since a genus, and of the systematic series gen- growing attention is now" being directed erally, becomes less and less. This to this family of Diptera in this country. proposition seems applicable to all The introduction contains many gener- groups of animals,in all cases the alizations and valuable ideas not known most recent forms are more closely re- outside of special workers in this fam- lated and more difficult to ch.aracterize ily, and gives an insight into the meth- than older ones. For example, this is ods of work employed by its authors, the case in the land-snails, as compared which is not devoid of interest even to with sea-snails and mussels. The those who may not accept in full the cause lies in the numerous intermediate plan of their work as carried out. forns occurring in a group of animals I do not wish to be understood as which has just reached its period of sanctioning the views here exposed. greatest prolificness. The portion treating of head-characters, But in particular cases this state- other characters, relationships, etc., ment may not be true, for there are in- which comprises nearly the whole and deed single branches of the older groups is merely descriptive, is excellent. I which have only at the present time agree with the authors on what is said reached the stage of multiform develop- regarding the necessity of smaller ment. With this limitation, it is true 314 PS T'CIg.E. I_September that the related groups of the Orthoro relation. To us the relations seem rapha, and even the Cyclorrapha of rather to extend in many directions from older origin, as the Syrphidae, are every group, and to allow no simple much more sharply separated from each linear arrangement. other, and easier to establish by definite The question may arise, why we do characters, than those of the Muscaria. not rather combine all the forn'ls of a The :lscarda sc/izone@a, which, group into one genus with many sub- exclusive of the Anthomyidae, are here genera. On this question we take the treated, have been repeatedly divided ground occupied by almost all syste- into differently related groups, but no matic writers at the presmt day. In the author has been able to establish his first place, it is more intelligible to fix groups upon characters which apply to our stations by names than by numbers all cases. In the description of genera second, our genera, with few excep- almost every one has overstepped, tions, show only plastic characters; either inadvertently or purposely, the third, we possess several species for limits he had previously set. The almost every genus, which are distin- characters applied change in their con- guished fl'om each other by many sub- bination with such complexity that it is ordinate differences; and fourth, we. almost impossible to discover one which would so treat the Muscaria, and so continues constant through several or comprehend the value of genera, as to many genera, much less to discover a agree with what Rondani, the best re- harmony of characters indicating a nat- viser of the group, has already done.. ural system. After having labored Whoever begins to divide the genera long in vain to define the previously Tachina, Dexia, &c., is compelled to formed groups by constant characters, continue the work until only those we have come to the conclusion characters which are altogether subor- that our object can only be attained in dinate remain for the species,the ar- another way,by ignoring the previ- rangement of the macrochaetae, the ously established groups of Tachinaria, form of the sexual organs of the male Dexiaria, &c., ad designating a much and female (not the typical develop- larger number of smaller groups, or ment for a group, but lesser characters related series. Within such a small than these; for instance in Phaniidae), group it is possible to determine har- the color, hair, width of face, &c. moniously combined characters for a If we adhere to the proposition that series of several genera. How these a genus comprises only a series of groups are to be arranged with refer- species, disunited fl'om other series by a ence to each other can, however, be lack of connecting forms, then we must settled only very imperfectly. We refer mark of[" a new genus whenever, among to this particularly, as it might other- the slight subordinate differences of the wise be supposed that we wish in the various parts of the body, new charac- sequence observed to indicate a serial ters are found, lackirg in the previous September I892.] 315

series and therefore giving rise to a new the higher categories (family, order, combination. Such characters are then class, etc.), be considered of high important, if they constantly recur in a importance; for genera and species series in combination with others. the characters of the imago are always Since a genus cannot be defined except more important, because the larvae as a natural series of related species, (with few exceptions) show far fewer we refrain from entering into the distinc- distinguishing features, and by means tion ofsubgenera, groups of species, etc. of them one could only distinguish se- We find better stopping-places for the ries not species-]. Perfectly in harmony limitation of families, and on this point with this is the communication presented we maintain the view which was in the Records of the Imperial academy -set forth in the Journal of the Imperial (math. nat. class, v. 47, P" 36) n the so- academy of sciences (v. 9 , i. 885, called family of Ffuscaria schizome- p. 327), according to which the t@a, where the non-existence of such a known larval forms furnish important family was proved. The idea of many characters for separation into the smaller groups was also suggested there. groups known among insects as fami- That the known larval forms cannot in lies and genera", seldom for a higher this case prove the contrary, had been .category. The expression genus was shown even earlier (Verh. k. k. zool.-- there discarded, for two reasons: first, hot. ges., 878, i6I. See also Loew, because many of our families are the Stettin. ent. zeit., 845. p. 32). genera of older authors, and second, In conclusion we note particularly because in genera in which the like or that it shall be our special task to es- similar life habits of the larvae come in- tablish the most natural genera possi- to consideration among the chracteris- ble, and in every case to attempt to re- tics, the larvae have acquired constant duce former genera to this basis. characters. Whoever thinks the genera too many is If in more recent times, strange to at liberty to consider them merely se- say, it is still disputed whether the ries of species, for convenience given a classification should be based upon the definite name. Some of our groups mature insect or upon the entire develo are then to be considered as genera, opment, we can quickly decide, since xvhile others may be subdivided. theformer view is contrary to al the Since our characterization ofthe groups is based on essentially different points of systera. Whither views formed on structure from those of former authors, such a basis lead, may be best seen in we are in a position to arrange in our the new- division of the Coleoptera into system only those forms which we could genuine and rhynchophorous. This examine and of which we possess the comes from a misunderstanding of the type specimens. Species, the descrip- value of characters derived from the tions of which do not mention the points earlier stages. The latter must, for that are important to us, must be laid 316 PS I/'CHE. [September 1892. aside for the present, because their false views on the forms which have not been arrangement would only cause more examined by us. Meanwhile we recom- confusion than already exists. Farther mend that the possessors of types ex- ota in our work we will express our amine them in the light of our system.

JOHN WITT RANDALL. Dr. J. W. Randall who died at Rox- lays which occurred before the expedi- bury, Mass., 25 January 89z is known tion sailed he resigned. to the present generation of entomolo- Dr. Randall's scientific papers are as gists as the author of two papers de- follows: scriptive of Coleoptera from Maine and I. Descriptions of new species of Massachusetts published more than fifty coleopterous insects inhabiting the state years ago in the second volume of the of Maine. Bost. journ, nat. hist., Feb. Bostot jotrnal of natural history. I838, v. 2, no. , pp. -33. John Witt Randall was born in Boston, 2. Descriptions of new species of 13 November 1813. ttis father Dr. coleopterous insects inhabiting the state John Randall was an eminent physician of Massachusetts. Bost. journ, nat. of Boston and his mother Elizabeth hist., Feb. t838 v. 2, no. , pp. 34-52 Wells was the granddaughter of Samuel (See Proc. Bost. soc. nat. hist., Jan. Adams the revolutionary patriot. He I875, v. 7, PP" 373-385 On the spe- graduated from Harvard College in cies of Coleoptera described by Mr. J. 1834. One of his classmates says: 'he W. Randall, by P. S. Sprague with displayed a marked originality of char- notes by E. P. Austin.) acter. Though among us, he was not 3. Catalogue of the Crustacea brought wholly of us, but seemed to have by Thomas Nuttall and j. K. Townsend thoughts, pursuits and aspirations to fi'om the west coast of North America which we were strangers. His tastes and the Sandwich Islands with descrip- developed in a scientific direction, en- tions of such species as are apparently tomology being the branch to whiclz he new, among which are included several devoted himself. The college at that species of different localities previously time did little to encourage such pur- existing in the collection of the Acad- suits, but he pursued the even tenor emy. Journ. acad. nat. sci. Phil., of his way till he had made a very fine x839, v. 8, pt. , pp. to6-47, pl. 3"7" collection of insects." Dr. Randall A volume on the animals and plants of studied medicine after his graduation. Maine was prepared but not published. He was offered and accepted an appoint- His volume of poems entitled Conso- ment in zoology connected with the lations of Solitude, Boston, I856 2d Wilkes exploring expedition to the edition 1857 was commended by j. H. South Seas; owing however to tlae de- Abbott in the North American review. International Journal of Peptides

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