cxxxvi FAUNA HAWAIIENSIS 



banana plant, in which it breeds, and is widely spread over the islands. It has been 

 taken from tree-ferns, but its occurrence there may have been accidental. The minute, 

 elongate and flattened species of Cillaeopephis are found on various trees, beneath the 

 bark. C. infiimts, the best-known species, is not attached to one plant, as we have 

 found it breeding in decayed parts of Pisonia and on the Urticaceous Piptiirus and 

 Urera. 



The four species of Carpophilus are all importations, and are either domestic, or 

 found in decaying flowers or fruit. C. humerahs and others are sometimes very 

 abundant in rotten sugar-cane stems. Both the species of Haptonciis are also found in 

 the latter and also in flowers and fruits, and are certainly introductions. No parasites 

 have been obtained from any of the Nitidulidae, but they are sometimes killed by 

 fungous disease, which is rarely epidemic. I do not remember to have ever found any 

 Nitidulidae in dissecting the native birds. 



HiSTERiDAE. — The single species of Carcinops and two of Saprinns are certainly 

 introductions, and the very minute beetles, Bacanius atomarius and confusus, found only 

 near Honolulu by Mr Blackburn, may also be so. The species o{ Acritus 34 in number 

 are probably all endemic, with the possible exception oi A. insularis, which, found only 

 near Honolulu, belongs to a different section from all the others. These are all found 

 in dead wood or generally beneath dead bark, especially where there is moisture and 

 decay. It is not known whether they are carnivorous, like most Histeridae, but as 

 larvae of Mycetophilidae and Drosophilidae occur in the same places, it is quite likely 

 that they prey on these. Some of these beetles are flightless, having rudimentary 

 wings, others are fully winged, though we have never seen them expand these. It 

 is usual to find several examples in company and these companies sometimes consist of 

 two (and possibly more) quite distinct species. Owing to the nasty mess in which they 

 often live, I have no doubt I neglected to take nearly as many examples as I might, 

 because they foul and stick to other cleaner insects, and such creatures would be better 

 collected apart or in alcohol. They are not really uncommon and are ubiquitous 

 throughout the islands in the forests. Aleurites, Acacia, Pipturns, and especially 

 Cheirodendron are some of the trees that they affect. 



ScAPHiDiiDAE. — A single Scaphisoma, found only in the Waianae mountains of 

 Oahu, represents this family. It is very doubtfully indigenous. 



SiLPHiDAE. — A single individual of Clainbus found near the active volcano, to 

 which there is much traffic, alone represents this family. It is probably an intro- 

 duction, 



Trichopterygidae. — I suspect that all the members of this family are foreign, for 

 I have found two species in the town of Honolulu (one in decayed cane and one beneath 



