181 



Temarkson the subject, however, I should not do wisely to take 

 action in the matter. Then follows Ilaplaiier, founded by the 

 Baron de Chaudoir for a single species (described by the Count 

 de Castelnau as a Harpalus) , and this is no doubt a good genus. 

 Then comes DiapJioromerus, formed by the Baron de Chaudoir 

 for an Australian insect — no doubt a perfectly satisfactory 

 genus, but no representative of it has come under my notice, 

 and (as I have examined a large number of Anisodactylides 

 from various parts of the colony) 1 cannot but conclude from 

 this that some, if not many, of the crowd of species Mr. 

 Masters attributes to it are not really at home there. The 

 £ve genera that follow are doubtless quite satisfactory, but 

 they do not average three species apiece. Of the remaining 

 four genera (1)1 should say that some at least of those called 

 Harpalus are very questionable ; (2) Cyclothorax belongs to the 

 Anchomenidm ; (3) concerning Stenolophus and Acupalpus, as I 

 have not seen any of the few species so named, nor do the 

 authors of those species attribute to them any of the essential 

 characters of those genera, I will only say that if the insects 

 are correctly placed, it is very interesting on account of the 

 general divergence of the Australian Harpaloid series from the 

 types that prevail in the jN^orthern Hemisphere. I will just 

 guard myself, in conclusion, from being understood to depre- 

 ciate Mr, Masters' work by saying that he has no doubt fol- 

 lowed the only course open to him in distributing the species 

 he enumerates among known genera rather than going beyond 

 the province of a catalogue by forming new genera. His cata- 

 logue will doubtless long remain the standard one on which 

 students will work, and is very valuable. So many of the 

 types on which the Australian species were founded are in 

 Europe (if existent at all), that no small boon would be con- 

 ferred on Australian workers if some European specialist 

 would make a careful examination of such as are available, and 

 report the result to one of our scientific Societies for publi- 

 cation. 



Note to mt eemaeks on ANisoDACTTLinji] axd Haepalid^. 

 While these notes were in the press, and too late for me to 

 alter them, I received through the kindness of Dr. Grestro, of 

 Genoa, a copy of the Baron de Chaudoir' s memoir alluded to 

 above as not having been seen by me. I find that in the main, 

 though not strictly, Mr. Masters has followed the Baron in his 

 arrangement of the families in question. On the whole the 

 perusal of the memoir has not led me to modify to any con- 

 siderable extent the remarks that I have made. I cannot but 

 consider still that Diaplioromerus as the Baron has arranged it 

 is an assemblage of forms that ought not to be united in a single 



