cxxxiv FAUNA HAWAIIENSIS 



extremely common beetle, very partial to banana plants. The representatives of 

 Cathartus, Silvanus and Nausibius are also importations and of no interest. 



CoLYDiiDAE. — Antilissiis is an endemic genus with only one species {^A. aper). It 

 is an abundant forest insect, and very widely spread throughout the islands, found 

 usually beneath bark of Straussia, often many individuals in company. Glyptoma 

 blackbiinii, a Staphylinid, frequently lives with it, and the larvae of both occur with the 

 mature beetles. It shows some variation, but being so different from any other 

 Hawaiian insect, this is not usually noticed. This is the only native Colydiid. 



Minthea rugicollis and Colobicus parilis have been found in or near Honolulu 

 beneath bark. The latter first appeared about 1 900, and became very numerous on the 

 trees killed or injured by fire in the conflagration that took place in cleaning up the 

 city, during an epidemic of plague. The minute beetle Derolathrtis was first found 

 about the same time, but only in trees on the edge of the road round Mt Tantalus, 

 where house-building was being actively engaged in, and much lumber carried up. It 

 was common, and has since spread to some extent. 



DiscoLOMiDAE. — The single species of Fallia, very closely allied to a Central 

 American species, will probably prove to have been introduced. It has been found in 

 the common hard fungus on trunks of Aleiirites (though not confined to these), and 

 like the fungus itself and the few other beetles found therein is no doubt foreign. 



Trogositidae. — Represented only by Tenebroides mauritanicus a cosmopolitan and 

 imported species. 



MoNOTOMiDAE. — Represented only by Hesperobaemis capita, usually found in the 

 mountains, but once found in Honolulu in decayed sugar-cane. It occurs all over the 

 islands and is sometimes numerous in the inflorescence of Freycinetia, in company with 

 foreign Nitidulidae {Haptoncus tetragomis) and also with native species of that family. 

 The larvae occur on the Freycinetia with the adult. 



Nitidulidae. — This family is extremely richly represented by 138 species that are 

 endemic, and a few introduced forms. Excluding the latter there are 13 genera, all 

 endemic, mostly evidently related to one another. Those of which the relationship to 

 the others is doubtful {Notopephcs and Cillaeopepliis) contain only three or four species 

 in all. A considerable variety of habits is exhibited by the Hawaiian series, so that the 

 allied forms have occupied most situations in the islands, that are affected by these 

 insects in other parts of the world. A few species are terrestrial, living amongst 

 decaying leaves. These are excessively sluggish, and have the size of the eyes reduced 

 and are flightless [Apetiniis explanatus). The four flightless genera have arisen 



