BIOLOGIA CENTRALI-AMERICANA. 
ZOOLOGIA. 
Class INSECTA. 
Order COLEOPTERA. 
Fam. PSELAPHIDA *. 
This family consists of minute Beetles, many of which are found in ants’ nests. The 
majority of the species are rare and difficult to find even by experienced collectors. 
Mr. Champion procured a fair series of species in Guatemala and the State of Panama, 
but from the other divisions of our region we have received but little. Sallé’s Mexican 
collection was very deficient in Pselaphide ; from Nicaragua we have received only two 
or three species, and from Costa Rica none. 
The arrangement followed is that given by Reitter in his paper entitled “ Versuch 
einer systematischen Eintheilung der Clavigerinen und Pselaphiden” [Verh. Ver. 
Briinn, xx. pp. 177-211 (1882) ]. 
In the ‘Etudes entomologiques’ (1855, pp. 8-25) there is a letter written by Victor de 
Motschulsky on board ship, giving an account of an entomological collecting expedition 
just made by him on the isthmus of Panama. He had established himself there at 
Obispo for two or three weeks, and succeeded in finding in that brief time about thirty 
species of Pselaphide. Most of these were new, scarcely anything being then known 
of the Panama Coleopterous fauna; and in the letter I am alluding to Motschulsky 
mentions these novelties seriatim, giving them names and occasionally adding a word 
or two of explanation. These names have no claim to be adopted, and I mention them 
only because they have been given as “ published” in the list of Motschulsky’s genera 
and species issued by the Entomological Society of Russia in 1868. In the case of 
three or four genera rude outline figures were given, and as these enable us to form an 
imperfect idea of what Motschulsky intended, their names have been adopted by 
Reitter and are also included in our list. It is certainly unfortunate that this letter 
* By D. Smarp. 
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Coleopt., Vol. II. Pt. 1, February 1887. B* 
