INTRODUCTION cxxxix 



Carabidae. — This is one of the most important families of Coleoptera represented 

 in the islands, no less than 210 species having been described, of which one only is at 

 present known from elsewhere. 



There is not the least doubt as to the endemicity of any of these species (excluding 

 the introduced Plochiomis pallens) excepting the other Lebiine, Saronychmm incon- 

 spicniDU, which I have no doubt is an importation, and the four species of Tachys, which 

 are probably introductions by man. All of these latter are found on the lowlands 

 amongst foreign insects, or else have only occurred in low mountain forests close to 

 Honolulu. Of recent years at least two other Bembidiine Carabids have been imported 

 and become fully established, and also another Lebiine. 



Deducting all these, the native Carabid fauna consists of 204 described species all 

 of which are endemic, while a good many additional species, as yet undescribed, are 

 now well known. Restricting our remarks to this endemic fauna, we observe that all 

 the species belong to the subfamily Harpalinae, and to three tribes in this subfamily, 

 viz. Pterostichini, Anchomenini and Bembidiini. These are represented respectively by 

 76, 92 and 16 described species. The species of Anchomenini are distributed very 

 unevenly in 24 genera, the Pterostichini in four genera (but of one only a single 

 species is known), the Bembidiini in 8, but one of these contains 10 of the 16 species. 



Many of the interesting features of the Hawaiian Carabid fauna are detailed by 

 Dr Sharp (Vol. iii, p. 175 et seq.) and, as I have had occasion to refer specially to 

 these elsewhere, they need not be reconsidered here. The diminished chaetota.xy, 

 predominance of flightless forms, and the relationship of the genera one to another in 

 each group are of particular interest. 



The adoption of the chaetotactic characters and those of the wings for the formation 

 of genera is largely responsible for the large number of these that have been described. 

 As Dr Sharp remarks (/. c. p. 186) "had I not adopted the condition of the wings and 

 the thoracic setae as a basis for genera, our Hawaiian Carabidae would have appeared 

 as members of only three or four genera. The other structural characters I have used 

 for discrimination are extremely slight. This should be borne in mind, as the picture 

 thus presented of three distinct groups, each consisting of a considerable number of 

 closely allied forms, is fairly correct." 



In the Anchomenini the genus Blackbiirnia, represented by only a single species 

 and peculiar to Oahu, is remarkable for its sculpture. It is a heavy-bodied form, less 

 active than most species, and is one of the comparatively few Anchomenines that is 

 found beneath stones. 



Deropristiis has three species, one each on Oahu, Molokai and Maui. The two 

 latter are not rare and are found beneath prostrate stems of tree-ferns or under logs, 

 but the unique example of the Oahuan species is said to have been found beneath 

 a stone. I once found a single individual of this or an allied form under a stone on 

 a ridge in the mountains near Honolulu, but being called from my room, I left the 



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