NOTOMICRUS. a) 
Fam. DYTISCIDE. 
This is a family of moderate extent, comprising at present about 1200 species 
arranged in about eighty genera. ‘The species are, without exception, thoroughly 
aquatic in their habits, and, except when on the wing, are rarely found out of their 
peculiar element. Hence special means of collecting are required for the Dytiscide, 
and it is probable that the species of the family are comparatively less completely 
known than their very closely allied terrestrial neighbours the Carabide. The arrange- 
ment here adopted is that suggested by the writer in the Transactions of the Royal 
Dublin Society (new series), vol. ii. (1882). 
Series DYTISCI FRAGMENTATI. 
NOTOMICRUS. 
Notomicrus, Sharp, Trans. Roy. Dubl. Soc. n. s. ii. p. 833 (1882). 
These excessively minute insects form a small genus, of which at present only four 
species have been described, two from South America and two from Australia. 
1. Notomicrus gracilipes. 
Ovalis, angustulus, subdepressus, pernitidus, elytris crebre subtiliter punctatis, ad basin levigatis; testaceus, 
vertice pectoreque fuscis. 
Long. 2 lin. 
Hab. GuaTEMALA, Paraiso, 300 feet (Champion). 
The posterior portion of the head is dark, but the colour in front is more dilute. 
and rufescent; the prothorax is clear yellow; the elytra are of a more obscure or 
livid pale yellow, and are narrowly infuscate along the suture ; the surface also appears 
dark along the joint between the thorax and wing-cases: these latter have a very 
fine but distinct punctuation ; the punctures are not dense, and are quite wanting on 
the basal portion, and at the extreme apex they are obsolete. ‘The breast is infuscate. 
The upper surface, except for the punctuation of the wing-cases, is very smooth and 
shining ; but the under surface is duller, although without punctuation. The posterior 
tarsi are extremely slender and very elongate, considerably longer than the tibie. 
The male has the three basal joints of the anterior tarsi distinctly incrassate. 
The species is distinct from the Amazonian JN. é¢raili by its smaller size, by the less 
dense and fine punctuation on the wing-cases, and rather shorter antenne. It varies 
somewhat as to the extension and distinctness of the infuscate portions of the surface. 
2. Notomicrus politus. 7 
Ovalis, angustulus, subdepressus, pernitidus, levigatus ; tarsis posterioribus tenuissimis, quam tibis longioribus. 
Long. 3 lin. 
Hab. Guatemata, Paraiso, 300 feet, and Paso Antonio, 400 feet (Champion). 
BB 2 
