BRACHYPTERUS. 265 
Fam. NITIDULIDA?. 
Of this family we have obtained, as will be seen from the following pages, speci- 
mens of a considerable series of species ; but among them there are representatives of 
comparatively few new generic forms. ‘The Nitidulide are all small insects, and the 
family is notorious for the difficulty attending the discrimination of the species contained 
in it. Very little knowledge has yet been obtained of the Nitidulide inhabiting the 
tropics, so that nothing of value can be said as to the geographical distribution of the 
species of our region. The Nitidulide of Europe and those of North America have 
been fairly well worked out, and the former of these regions has about 240, the latter 
about 110 species. In the year 1868 the number of known species of the family was 
791; a nearly equal number have been since described as new, but as, during the same 
time, a large number of synonyms have been recognized, it is probable that the total 
number of admitted species of the family now lies between 1400 and1500. According 
to Mr. Champion, some of the Central-American species of Nitidulide abound in rotten 
oranges and other fruits, and also in refuse sugar-cane ; others are found in the spathes 
of various Aroidex, vegetable refuse, under sappy bark, on flowers, &c. 
Subfam. BRACHY PTERINE. 
BRACHYPTERUS. 
Brachypterus, Kugelann, in Schneid. neuest. Mag. 1794, p. 560; Erichson, in Germar’s Zeitschr. 
iv. p. 280; Murray, Mon. Nitidulide in Trans. Linn. Soc. xxiv. p. 240. 
This genus contains about thirty species, all these inhabiting the Palearctic or 
Nearctic regions, with the exception of an Australian insect which is said to belong to 
Brachypterus. 
1. Brachypterus urtice. 
Dermestes urtice, Fabr. Ent. Syst. i. p. 235°. 
Brachypterus urtice, Er. in Germ. Zeitschr. iv. p. 231*; Murray, Trans. Linn. Soc. xxiv. p. 242°; 
Horn, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. vii. p. 270°. 
Hab. Norta America ? 4,—Mexico, Cordova (Saidé).—Hurore ' ? °. 
The occurrence of this species in our region is quite unexpected. The two specimens, 
however, on the authority of which I record it apparently differ from those of Kurope 
in having the sides and base of the thorax completely rounded. Horn‘ considers the 
species in North America as “ probably introduced from Europe.” Murray, on the 
other hand, records the North-American insect as a variety of the European species 
* By D. Smarpe. 
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Coleopt., Vol. II. Pt. 1, August 1889. 2 M* 
