BY T. G. SLOANK. 613 



Geographical Distribution of the Helluoniiii. 



The present distribution of the Helluonini is as under — 

 Ethiopian Region {MacrocJieilus, Meladroiivi^ Tricp.nogenius). 

 Oriental Region {Macrocheilns^ Oiwphra, Creagris). Neotropical 

 Region (Ilelluomorpha, Pleur acanthus). Australian Region 

 ( Creagris, l/elluoiiiducs, Dicranoglossus, Helluosoma, Helluodema, 

 Ephnicodenia, Helhto, Helhiarchiis, HeUiiaptertis, Gigaderna, 

 JVeohellno, ^Etiigma, Ametroglossus). Of the genera found in 

 Australia, only Creagris (evidently an immigrant from the north) 

 and Helluonidius{tI. chrysocomes Maind., in New Guinea) have 

 been found beyond the limits of the continent of Australia. The 

 Australian group of the Helluonini can be looked upon only as 

 an autocthonous subtribe peculiar to Australia, like its autoc- 

 thonous flora, and probably derived from the same ancient land, 

 which formed the place of origin of the autocthonous flora (pro- 

 bably some part of Australia is a remnant of this old land); it 

 seems altogether unlikely that the Helluonini could have reached 

 Australia from the Antarctic source whence came the marsupials, 

 at a later date. The distribution of the Helluonini in Australia, 

 Africa, and South America brings to mind the similar distribu- 

 tion of the genus Megacej^hala; though the Helluonini should be 

 more adaptable to widely varying conditions, owing to the free- 

 living habits of carabideous larvae, in comparison with the fixed 

 burrow-inhabiting mode of life of cicindelideous larvse, which 

 must cause fewer situations to be suitable to the development of 

 the latter. 



With regard to the distribution of the Helluonini throughout 

 Australia, I have little exact data. All our genera, except 

 Helluo, Helluarchus, and Helluapterus, occur in the heavily 

 wooded coastal parts of tropical Queensland. As far as I know, 

 only Helluo is found in Southern Victoria, and no Helluonid has 

 been reported yet from the moist, heavily timbered, south-western 

 part of the continent. 



Helluonidius ranges from the Hawkesbury River, N.S.W., to 

 Port Darwin, also to New Guinea; its range inland is unknown. 

 Dicranoglossus is found in tropical Australia; its range inland 

 and westward is unknown. Helluosoma is found in tropical 



