HYPOTHENEMUS. 229 
An example of this species from Teapa, named by Eichhoff, is apparently conspecific 
with two specimens from Guatemala. The species is very closely allied to H. seriatus 
(Eichh.), and is perhaps hardly distinct. The characters, such as they are, which 
differentiate it will be found in Eichhoff’s description. H. plumerie is twice the 
size of H. eruditus, of a uniform fuscous-black or brownish colour, broader, the elytra 
with impressed strize of strong close punctures, the sutural stria rather deeper, the 
interstices subconvex. 
Nordlinger’s original examples were found under the bark of logs of Plumeria alba, 
imported from Venezuela. 
6. Hypothenemus eruditus. 
Hypothenemus eruditus, Westw. Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. i. p. 34, t. 7. figs. 1 a-g (1836) ’; Ferr. 
Borkenk. p. 7°; Sharp, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 1879, p. 102°; Fauv. Rev. d’Ent. in. 
pp. 315 and 390‘; Reitt. Bestimmungs-Tab. der Borkenk. 1894, p. 75°; Blandf. Ins. Life, 
vi. p. 262°; Hichh. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. xviii. p. 608". 
? Bostrichus arecce, Horn. Stett. ent. Zeit. 1842, p. 117° (nec Reitter’). 
Stephanoderes arecce, Eichh. Rat. Tom. p. 165°. 
Bostrichus boieldieui, Perroud, Ann. Soc. Linn. Lyon, 1864, p. 188”. 
Hab. Mexico, Teapa®; Panama, Bugaba (Champion).—ANTILLES, Nevis °.—EuROPE 
(introduced) 1.—Arrica, Guinea? ; Sanpwicu Is. ?3—New Cateponia !°. 
I refer to this species five examples of a Hypothenemus taken by Mr. Champion at 
Bugaba, seeing no justification for separating them. It is, nevertheless, noticeable that 
the prothorax is testaceous-red in one example only, while it is deep fuscous in three, 
and sordid testaceous-brown in the fifth, which is somewhat immature. The first- 
mentioned example is the largest, and measures 1:1 millim. | 
Much difficulty attends any attempt to disentangle the synonymy and thereby to fix 
the distribution of this tiny insect. It has an aptitude for being transported in articles 
of commerce, and probably ranges throughout the greater part of the tropics. In fact, 
the distribution given here is capable of being greatly extended by the inclusion of 
localities at which occur forms that are probably, though not certainly, to be referred 
to this species. 
It was originally taken abundantly by Westwood ! in England, burrowing in the cover 
of a book of unknown antecedents, and years later was captured again by the late 
EK. W. Janson under similar circumstances. I have examined specimens from both 
these batches. 
Hornung’s specimens * came from the seeds of Areca catechu, and were presumably 
of Oriental origin, and I myself have examples from Java which are too rubbed to 
be positively referred to this species, but do not differ from it in any ascertainable way. 
Eichhoff’s Stephanoderes arecce ® is clearly identical with Westwood’s species. This 
was pointed out by M. Fauvel*, and has been confirmed by myself by comparing 
