610 Mr, J. O. Westwood on the Paussidce, 



Pedes subaequales, breves, compressi. Tarsi breves, articulis 



integris, articulo basali minuto, subtils producto. 

 Abdomen thorace mult6 majus et elj'tris longius. 

 Insecta exotica, parva, duriuscula, longitudine 2 — 5^ lin. 



Of the habits of the family we possess but little information, 

 and that only upon two species of Paussus, which will be found 

 noticed under that genus : it is, however, probable that the 

 other genera are similar in their habits, and that in their pre- 

 paratory states their habitat is either under the bark of trees or 

 in timber. They are steady and slow in their movements, and 

 nocturnal in their habits, and in their perfect state are met 

 with in newly-built houses. The species, however, must be of 

 considerable rarity, since many of our richest cabinets do not 

 even possess an individual of the family. 



With respect to the geographical distribution of the family 

 it may be remarked, that they appear to inhabit the Old World 

 exclusively, and that the tropical and southern portions of Africa 

 and the East Indies and Indian islands, are their peculiar range. 

 Cerapterus MacLeaii is, however, described by Donovan as an 

 inhabitant of New Holland. 



From the singularity in the structure of these insects, it is 

 difficult to speak of their affinities with precision. With respect 

 to their relationship with Cerocoma, in which genus they were 

 originally placed by Fabricius, there is, as Afzelius correctly 

 conceived, no affinity, and indeed but little analogy beyond the 

 singularity in the antennae. Afzelius, indeed, supposed that 

 they approached nearest to Clerus, bearing to it, as he observes, 

 at least upon the whole, so much natural resemblance, that 

 their most proper place in the systematic arrangement will be 

 next after that genus. It is to be wished, however, that this 

 author had more precisely stated the points in which he sup- 

 posed 



