COLEOPTERA OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. 7 



far to the north and east beyond the State line; the 

 other, the more copiously watered country lying between 

 the principal mountain range and the coast. To 

 these two we may add two others of very limited area, 

 but quite as well denned, viz, the timber belt of the 

 higher ranges; and the beaches, salt flats, and sand 

 dunes immediately adjoining the seashore. 



While it is true that a large proportion of the species 

 occurring in each of these districts is to be found in 

 none of the others, yet our acquaintance with many 

 parts of the territory here considered is still too imper- 

 fect to permit the expression of these facts in figures. 



In the preparation of the following list I have care- 

 fully searched all the literature at my command, and I 

 believe that omissions of this sort will not be numer- 

 ous; there doubtless are, however, a considerable num- 

 ber of species in collections, which are not here 

 included, for the simple reason that they have not been 

 recorded. Of such as these, and of omissions or cor- 

 rections of any kind, I would be very glad to be notified 

 in order that they may be incorporated in any revision 

 or supplement which may appear in the future. 



Notwithstanding the inevitable shortcomings incident 

 to any preliminary list and this can scarcely claim to 

 be more the number of species here credited to South- 

 ern California is larger than that of any other faunal 

 list yet published in North America.* The Southern 

 California list proper contains 2,197 species and 17 

 varieties, and to these may be added 1,220 species and 

 4 varieties from other parts of the State, to which refer- 

 ence is made in the notes, making a total of 3,417 

 species and 21 varieties for the entire State. 



* A catalogue of the insects of New Jersey by John B. Smith has appeared since the above was 

 written and contains the names of 2,845 species of Coleoptera- a number greater than that here 

 recorded for Southern California, but considerably smaller than that here credited to the whole 

 State. 



