272 D. Saarp—Topographical Table of Hawaiian Coleoptera. 
and one in which it is, on the contrary, greater. Thus the Aglycyderidz are 
related both to the Clavicorn and to the Rhyncophorous series of Coleoptera, and 
may thus be looked on as synthetic between two of what many would call the 
most ancient of the groups of Coleoptera. So too the Anchomenini may be classed 
as perhaps on the whole the least specialized of the normal Carabide; while the 
Cioide are a peculiarly unspecialized family, to such an extent indeed that, though 
they are usually classed near the Malacoderms in the Serricorn series, they would 
probably be better placed in the Clavicorn series. ‘The Anobiid genera Xyletobius 
and Holcobius are of a type of low specialization. 
On the other hand the Anobiid genus Mirosternus and the Cerambycide Cly- 
tarlus are certainly highly evoluted forms. This latter fact makes me look on 
their claims to be truly autochthonous with some suspicion; but, as I have no 
other ground for excluding them from the list of autochthones, I have allowed 
them to remain there. 
I think it may be looked on as certain that these islands are the home of a 
large number of peculiar species not at present existing elsewhere, and if so it 
follows that either they must have existed formerly elsewhere and migrated to the 
islands, and since have become extinct in their original homes, or that they must 
have been produced within the islands. This last seems the simpler and more 
probable supposition, and it appears highly probable that there has been a large 
amount of endemic evolution within the limits of these isolated islands. How far 
back in the life history of the species that evolution may have extended we cannot 
say ; we are not at all in a position to decide whether the now peculiar species were 
formerly introduced into the islands, being at the time of their introduction of the 
same structure as individuals found elsewhere, and having become since different 
because they have been subject to different conditions from the other descendants 
of their common ancestors, or whether the evolution may not have been absolutely 
ab initio; the organisms having originated in these islands by processes and 
under laws such as must have originated organisms somewhere or other. 
The data for the discussion of such problems as these are at present quite insuf- 
ficient; but I cannot leave this subject without stating my opinion as to the 
extremely important nature of the knowledge we may ultimately derive from a 
careful, long-continued, conscientious study of the organisms of remote islands. 
Meanwhile it is only too probable that the evidence they may give us will be lost 
for ever to the human race if we do not obtain it speedily. It is known that a 
large number of these organic beings have become extinct in recent times, and it is 
also known that the process of extinction is going on in various spots with various 
degrees of rapidity. The organic beings found in lands widely separated from 
other lands offer most important evidence as to the nature of organic evolution in 
the past, and consequently in the future; and it is certainly the duty of this 
generation to preserve for its posterity all the evidence that can be obtained on 
