Tropical Fauna of Florida, 53 



hitherto heen supposed, the number in Coleoptera alone 

 amounting, according to a very low estimate based upon my 

 collection, to at least 300 species not yet in our catalogues."' 

 (Entomologica Americana, IV, No. 9, 1888.) Since the above 

 was published, Mr. Schwarz has had the kindness to inform me 

 that this semitropical insect fauna of southern Florida com- 

 prises in all not less than 1,000 species of West Indian or 

 Antillean insects (of which about half are Coleaptera), and 50 

 genera of Coleoptera and Heteroptera alone;* hence the total 

 number of genera must be very considerable. 



Among the Mollusca, Dr. Win. H. Dall informs me that 20 

 species or specific types of Antillean land shells are known to 

 inhabit southern Florida, representing 13 genera or subgenera 

 not found further north.f 



So far as vegetation is concerned, the case is even stronger, 

 there being upwards of 350 genera of plants in Florida that do 

 not inhabit Canada ; and Professor Charles S. Sargent, in speak- 

 ing of the trees of southern Florida, states : " A group of arbores- 

 cent species of West Indian origin occupies the narrow strip of 

 coast and islands of southern Florida. * * * This semitrop- 

 ical forest belt reaches Cape Malabar on the east coast and the 

 shores of Tampa Bay on the west coast. * * * The species 

 of which it is composed here reach the extreme northern limit 

 of their distribution ; they are generally small, stunted, and of 

 comparatively little value. Certain species, however, attain re- 



*Mr. Schwarz has kindly given me the following list of families 

 of Central American Coleoptera, indicating the number of genera in each 

 family known to inhabit Semitropical Florida, but not found elsewhere 

 in North America: O/m/m/.r, 2 genera; Phalacridse, 1; Coccinellidic, 1; 

 ( 'ttrtij!du\ 1 ; Myc&ophagidse, 1 ; Elt<'ri<l;c, 1 ; Scambse-idse, 2 ; Cerambycidse, 5 ; 

 Chrysomelidx, 4 } Tenebrionidse, '3 ', HHonommidse, 1 ; Otiorhynchidse, 1; ('m-- 

 ndiimidit , <> ; Itri'iithidsr, 1 [this is the only genus which reappears at Cape 

 San Lucas] ; ( 'ulaiidridtr, 3 ; Scoli/tidic, -> ; Authribidx, 2. He informs me 

 also that 11 genera of Tropical American Heteroptera have been found in 

 the same belt. 



fThe forms here referred to are: Sti-oh<l Indthurdii Brown; Hclic cmca 

 Ili/i.r mr/VmsMke. ; Htiliimilu.x iitnllUiiH'aliix Say; .l>ttl!ii>idiix dormant \Y. (i. 

 I).; Ortli/ir<iK tnid<ttux Brug ; Liguus fasciatits M.u\\er ] Liguus fasciatus \&r. 

 Xti'iiof/ifra </i-<tci//ini<i IMV. ; Stcnixjura subida Pfr. ; Macroceramus gossei Pfr.; 

 M^acroceramus pontificus Gld. (also occurs in Texas) ; Str<>j>hin hicnita Binn. ; 

 Auricula pcdttci'ttx Mke. ; Trail a iniiitiscula Dall; Mdampm (Ddracia) bul- 

 loidt'x Mont. ; Fwttpi'x >n'ii-<iotl'ix Muhlf. ; Pediftes elongattte Dall: I'lunm-hix 

 tumidusPfr. ; 8phwrium ' cuhense Morelet. 



