340 THE CANADIA.N ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Belostotna capitatiim. 



1856. — Guerin, in Sagra's Hist. Cuba, An. Art., VII, 420. 

 1865. — Mayr, Reise der Novara, Hem., p. 183. 

 Belostoma cosvwpolitaiium. 



1863.— Coinde, Rev. Mag. Zool., 33. 

 1864. — Lucas, Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr., IV, 227. 



Ever since this species was first described, it has been recorded from 

 time to time from the most widely-separated places. The distribution, as 

 given by Dufour and Mayr, is as follows : 



Amefica. — Mexico and Cuba. 



Africa. — Algeria, Khartoum, Guinea, Caff'raria and Madagascar. 

 This distribution, however, seems to me too scattered to be real. 



Mexico is given following Spinola, while under the supposition that 

 Belostoma capitatutn, Guer., is the same insect, the Cuban record comes 

 into existence. Madagascar is given by Mayr, on the ground that 

 punciatus, Stai, described from the Island, is merely a synonym of 

 coluinbice, Spinola. This is not the case, however, as the former is readily 

 distinguishable from the latter, as may be seen by the analytical table. 

 The homogeneity, so to say, of the other localities, added to the fact that 

 in Algeria at least the Hemipteron seems to have been f^iirly common, 

 would appear to establish them as real beyond reasonable doubt. In 

 addition, 1 have a specimen from German East Africa. It may, therefore, 

 be safely stated that the bug is African, and that it is spread over the 

 greater part of the continent. Its existence in America is problematical, 

 to say the least, and although Champion refers to it in Biologia Centrali 

 Americana, he does not list it, but states as his opinion that " In addition 

 to the species enumerated here, two others have been recorded from 

 Mexico, but further evidence is required before they can be included in 

 our list; these are Hydrocyrius coluinbicv, Spinola," etc. In confirmation 

 of this, my personal endeavours to secure the bug, either from Cuba or 

 Mexico, have thus far proven fruitless. It seems best, therefore, to 

 ignore the American records, at least till they ar# absolutely confirmed or 

 disproved. 



II. — Diplonychus pimctatus, Siai. 



Hydrocyrius punctaius. 



1865.— Siai, Hem. Afr., HI, 182. 

 H. columbice, paitim. 



iSyi. — Mayr, Die Belostomiden, Vcrh. ZooL-bot. Ges. Wicn , 

 XXI, pp. 429, 430. 



