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On flw iicn.itK Amblvopinits, itnd description af a vcic s/iccia^ 

 J'roiii Tasmania ,• by the Rev. A. Maitiiews, ^I.A. 



•The geuns Amhlyopinus was instituted by M. Solskv in 1<S75*, 

 f() receive two species oi BrarJielytra, which had been found in 

 South America, in the condition of pseudo-parasites upon certain 

 s])ecies of Field Mice. In form as well as in their habits these 

 animals were somewhat anomalous, and it was not without 

 hesitation, that M. Solsky placed them among tlie Taduipavida-. 



In the summer of 1877, Mr. Jaiison received a collection of 

 Coleoptera fi-om Mr. Simson, of Gould's Country, Tasni;inia, 

 among which he noticed two specimens of a strange looking 

 Brachelytron^ and on reference to the list of localities fV)Uud 

 that they had beeu taken fi-om the fur of a living Rat. Tins 

 unusual habitat brought M. Solsky's Memoir to his recollection, 

 and he very kindly forwarded the insects to me ft)r dissection, 

 sending at the same time the whole of JNI. Solsky's descriptions, 

 li'anscribed verbatim fi-om the original jiublication. 



Since then I have dissected one of these insects, with great 

 care, and \\axe made complete preparations of every part of 

 theii* external anatomy. I have also carefullv compared each 

 ])ai-t with fresh dissections of t\\e analagous organs of the 

 Titdijiporidfp and the Staphylinida', and \\\\\ now proceed to 

 detail the result of my obsei'vations. 



It is first of all necessai-y to presume that the insect which I 

 am about to describe is a ti'ue species of Amblyopiniis, but on 

 this ]»oint. althougli I liave never seen any of the specimens 

 found by M. Solsky, I liave very little doubt, his figures and 

 descriptions are so full and clear, that I think their generic 

 identity is obvious. 



But if this is the fact, 1 cannot coincide with M. Solsky in 

 ]ilacing Amhlyopinus among the TacJtyporida' ; the only 



* HnrfP, Socirtatix Enlomiilofi'uc' L'os.sicfP. T. xi, p. Id. 



