W. L. Distant: Mr. Kirby on thc Hemiptera of Ceylon. 71 an die Auslassung zweier Arten. Es sind von Kar seh Ein-sprüche ganz anderer Natur gegen jene Arbeiten gemacht worden.) Hiermit überlasse ich ruhig meine Controverse mit Mr. Kirby dem Urtheile der Fachgenossen. Ich bedauere nur, dass er in meiner „Note" nichts Anderes hat finden können , als einen „unprovoked personal attack". Nichts lag mir ferner, als Mr. Kirby's Person angreifen zu wollen. Nur der Sache halber und weil Mr. Kirby sich auf einem entschieden unrichtigen Wege befindet, habe ich seine Arbeit besprochen. Amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas. Mr. Kirby on the Hemiptera of Ceylon. By W. L. Distant (in Purley , Surrey , England). Any doubt existing as to the perfect justification of Dr. Bergroth's criticism on Mr. Kirby's notorious paper on the Ceylon Rhynchota is quite dispelled after reading Mr. K i r b y's extraordinary rejoinder. This reply? consists of an attack on the work of the late Dr. S t ä 1 , a commendation of the writings of the late Fräs. Walker and a reference to myself. Of the first little need be said ; no other entomologist could I think be found in this country to agree with Mr. Kirby's distorted conceptions of the writings of Dr. Stal, which is readily ex-plainable by the fact that the critic is a Lepidopterist and has shown himself to be particularly unfamiliar with the Rhynchota. It will therefore be understood both abroad and at home, that Mr. Kirby speaks for himself alone and the reputation of Dr. Stal has therefore not materially suffered. The approval of the work of the late Fräs. Walker has already been more amply shown. We have an adage „Imitation is the sincerest. form of flattery", and Mr. Kirby in his Ceylon paper has exactly copied the method of his master. I will now only refer to what has been stated with reference to the four species of Cicadidae which were described by Mr. Kirby as new and reported by myself to be moderately well known species. Dundubia mixta Kirby = Cicada viridis Fabr. Mr. Kirby lightly touches the fact that he described as a Dundubia a Wiener Entoraologische Zeitung, XII. Jahrg., 2. Heft (10. März 1893).
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