104 lOctoljcr. 



siblc they might be intended to apply to the HydroscapTia. These 

 facts suggest, therefore, the possibility that Sydroscapha Crotchi may 

 have been hurriedly described as a Limnchius. Von Heyden (Berl, 

 Ent. Zeit. 1870, Beiheft, p. 71) has supplemented Kiesenwetter's de- 

 scription of L. evanescens by a longer one ; but it is still uncertain to 

 me whether it is drawn from the Hydroscapha or a species of Limne- 

 hius. There is another sjDecies stated to be allied to Limnehius evan- 

 escens, viz., Limnehius gyrinoides, Aube (Grenier, Cat. Mat., p. 127), 

 from the South of France and Asia Minor, and it appears to me pro- 

 bable that the words in the description " extremite du corps depassant 

 I'abdomen (sic) et termines par deux petites raides en dessous," 

 {sic) might likely enough, notwithstanding their absurdity, have been 

 drawn from a Sydroscapha. Under these circumstances it is, at any 

 rate, probable that the genus in the old world has a pretty wide distri- 

 bution, and it is therefore premature to remark on the geographical 

 distribution of the two species composing it. 



I hope the Madrid entomologists will be able to give us informa- 

 tion as to the habits of the Sydroscapha Crotchi, and particularly to 

 inform us to what extent it is really aquatic in its habits. 



As regards the affinities of the family, I shall not attempt to re- 

 mark more than that I do not consider the points in which it approaches 

 the SydrophiJidce to be of great importance, and tiiat it does not 

 show any tendency to possess those characters which are most dis- 

 tinctive of and peculiar to the family Sydrophilidce. On the other 

 hand, I am inclined to think that its affinities with the Trichopterygidce 

 may be more important than Dr. Leconte has expressed : for the wings 

 of Sydroscapha appear to me to show a decided approach to the pecu- 

 liar structure of those organs in the Trichopterygidce. I have forwarded 

 a pair of Sydroscapha Crotchi and one specimen of S. natans to the 

 Eev. A. Matthews, in hopes that his skill as a dissector of minute 

 Coleoptera will enable him to give us a full description of the trophi ; 

 and I trust he will also inform us what his ideas are as to the affinities 

 of the family with the Trichopterygidce. 



Thoriiliill, Dumfries : 



September, 1874. 



DESCEIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES OP LYC^NIDJE FEOM SOUTH 



AMERICA. 



- BY w. c. nEwrrsoN, f.l.s. 



I am indebted for the insects described below to the generosity of 

 Mr. Gcrvase Mathcw, of the Eoyal Navy, who collected them during 

 a cruise of H. M. S. " Kepulse " in the pacific. 



