276 

 Note on Hawaiian Platynus (Coleoptera, Carabidae). 



BY DR. K. C. L. PERKINS. 



(Presented by O. H. Swezey.) 



In the '"Fauna llawaiiensis" two spec-ics of FJaijiiins were 

 de.-fril)ed by ])r. Sliarp. one from Haleakala, Mani, and the 

 other from Ivanai. Xeither of the species was found in any 

 numbers, and of the latter. P. ambiens Shp., only a single ex- 

 ample was captured, although a large number of Carabidae- 

 was collected on Kauai, and these were to some extent exam- 

 ined at the time of capture, in order that I might have a good 

 idea of the number of species that were being collected. 



Eecently I came across a small tube of Kauai beetles, pre- 

 served nian\' years ago in alcohol for purposes of dissection, and 

 was surprised to find that three of the five examples of Carabi- 

 dae belonged to Platynus ambiens,- the others being the two 

 very common species Mefromeniis pavidus and Disenoclius 

 aterrlmus. A very aberrant female specimen of Ehj/ncogonus 

 hmiaiensis, a few common Proterhiniis, etc., made uji the rest 

 of the contents of the tube. It is remarkable that these few 

 beetles picked up at random should have contained more of the 

 Platynux than were found when such things were specially 

 looked for. I may add that though these beetles had remained 

 so many years in alcohol, they were in the best of condition 

 and were easily mounted. 



Though placed in the same genus, the two Hawaiian Pla- 

 tynus are extraordinarily different in structure and but for 

 the pronotal setae being alike in each, they certainly would not 

 be placed together, since each of them is far more like to some 

 other species of Hawaiian Carabidae placed in other genera 

 than its congener. I have not compared my specimens with 

 the type, but Sharp's description agrees with them so admir- 

 ably that there is no probability of error; indeed, there is lit- 

 tle difficulty in identifying nearly all the Carabidae bv the 



Proc. Haw. Entom. Soc, TV, Xo. 2. June, 1920. 



