[(32 I Juno, 



two curious species found in Soutli Africa, and Euclasea from Central 

 America. 



It may be of interest if I add a few lines here on the geographical 

 distribution of the species. The genus Hetarius contains nine species, 

 all of which have been found at remote distances from each other in 

 the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere. Of these three may 

 be selected which are extremely similar to each other in appearance, 

 \\z.,ferrugineus,gratus and Blanchardi, and they are natives of Europe, 

 Asia and America respectively. So that it may be said that the genus 

 is widely distributed, and contains species which are very similar to 

 each other, although occurring in countries where the fauna generally 

 is very dissimilar. Other genera can be called to mind, such as Notio- 

 pJiihis and Loricera, which have a like distribution, and the genua 

 HetcBrius will not, therefore, be considered peculiar in thus maintaining 

 a general aspect over a large area. Not much is known about the 

 species of the genus, as, with the exception oiferrugineus, all are rare, 

 four being, I believe, unique in collections, but if we may be guided 

 hj Jerrugineus, which has been found from London to Gibraltar on 

 the west of Europe, and eastwards as far as the Caucasus mountains, 

 we cannot consider it likely that the other species are very local. 



But in looking into what is known of the history of Sternocoelis, 

 we find no such corresponding details. It is a genus solely occupying 

 countries whose shores are washed by the Mediterranean Sea ; the 

 si)ecies are numerous and very local, and sometimes three species have 

 been found inhabiting one ant's nest. On the southern littoral of 

 the Mediterranean, Oran, Algiers, Constantine, Phillipeville, and Bone, 

 all have their peculiar species, while Tangiers, Tlemcen, the Island of 

 • Sicily, and Greece, are the localities of others, and it does not yet 

 appear that their centres of distribution are much widened out. It is 

 only at Tangiers and Algigiras, where the water passage is narrow, 

 that one species is found on both continents, and even then the com- 

 monest species in Morocco (aracJinoides) has not been found in Spain. 

 The species which is known to have the widest distribution is hispani- 

 cus, which has been taken abundantly near Lisbon, and occurs at 

 Madrid (320 miles about). Sternocoelis MarseuU has as yet only been 

 taken near the Escorial, and the other Spanish species (fusculus and 

 incisiis) are apparently local. In no case has any species been de- 

 tected encroaching on the habitat of another, excepting in those 

 instances in wliich several arc found together. 



Folkestoue: April IWh, 1891. 



