collected in the Indian Islands by Mr. A.R. Wallace. 127 
Distaphyla Wallacer. 
D. cylindrica, obscure fusca ; prothorace lobis irregulariter divisis ; spatio 
discali angusto, levissimo, postice canaliculato. 
Hab, Mysol. 
Cylindrical, dull brown, covered with scattered, whitish, setose scales; 
head subtriangular, very concave above and behind the eyes; antenne 
short, pitchy ; prothorax covered with large, coarse tubercles, the lobes 
strongly separated in front, but slightly separated above; a narrow and 
very smooth and glossy space on the disk, which is drawn out or be- 
comes canaliculate behind, and extends nearly to the base; an elliptic, 
shining excavation on each side, which communicates with the trans- 
verse fissure behind the lobes; elytra seriate-punctate, with the scales 
in lines; body beneath dark brown, with large coarse punctures, each 
containing a whitish scale, the last two abdominal segments smooth ; 
legs pitchy. Length 23 lines. 
Thave already stated that Distaphyla is synonymous with Ogcodera 
(Dej.). Two species are mentioned in that author’s “Catalogue,” 
from Cayenne and Carthagena respectively ; whether either of these 
is referable to any of the three species described by me from the 
Amazon valley I do not know, but, as one of the most remarkable 
genera among the Coleoptera, we might have expected it would have 
had a comparatively limited range. I was therefore somewhat 
surprised to find this very distinct species in Mr. Wallace’s collection 
from Mysol, an island about one degree west of the northern portion 
of New Guinea. Motschoulsky, in his‘ Etudes’ for 1855, p. 18, men- 
tions ‘‘ a very singular genus of Colydiide with the cylindrical habit 
of Anobium, and the tuberculate and rugose sculpture of Dictyalotus ; 
the posterior part of the head is marked with two large protuber- 
ances:” he calls it Colydodes gibbiceps. As he refers the two “ pro- 
tuberances ”’ to the head, we cannot in charity suppose that it has 
anything to do with Distaphyla. I only allude to it here to inquire if 
the sort of “‘ honourable mention” quoted above is sufficient to con- 
stitute a description giving it the right to the protection of the law of 
priority ? Distaphyla Wallace? is at once distinguished by the sides 
of its prothorax being parallel; this gives it a more perfectly cylin- 
drical outline than is possessed by the other species. It has also a 
more triangular head ; and the deep excavation at the inner side and 
behind the eye forms a sort of peduncle to that organ—a structure 
which is remarkably developed in the allied genus Acropis. Dista- 
phyla speculifera makes also a slight approach to the same structure. 
VOL. II. L 
