62 Mr. Westwood on Siagonium quadricorne, SfC. 



genus established by Dallman, and described and figured in his 

 " Analecta Entomologica ; " and which differs chiefly in the posi- 

 tion of the horns of the head, which in that insect are both central, 

 and not, as in Siagonium, lateral. (Leptocherius of Germar is 

 synonymous with this genus). 



To the MacLeayiau entomologist I should conceive that no 

 group can supply a fitter subject for study than the Brachelj/tra, 

 and for the following reasons : 1st, it is rarely that an exotic 

 insect of this group is seen in any of the cabinets.* Juriue has 

 observed on a somewhat similar occasion, " Je ferai remarquer 

 ici qu'il est bien etonnant de ne pas trouver davantage de tenthre- 

 des exotiques, decrites dans Touvrage de M. Fabricius, lui qui a 

 visite un si grand nombre de collections ; Ou serait presque en 

 droit de demander a quoi tierit cette rarete, si Ton ne connaissant 

 pas le peu d'empressement qu'on a eu jusqu' a present pour col- 

 lecter Ics Hymenopteres et les Dipteres."+ — This however cannot 

 be said with regard to the Brachelj/ira, for Mr. MacLeay, (Ann. 

 Jav.) tells us " That it is a singular circumstance that no insect of 

 the Stirps was collected by Dr. Horsfield. This at all events 

 proves the extreme rarity of such insects in Java. Of their ex- 

 istence in the Island I have however no doubt : when it is con- 

 sidered that the British species are so numerous, it appears very 



structo; duabus lateralibus brevibus medioque elongate, acutninato, apice 

 piloso, et supra caput inter ejus cornua, erecta, procumbens (AA). Fasmina 

 multo minor et absqne cornubus est. Fig. 4. C. Tliorax Bl. armati. 



Domino J. F. Stephens viro amicissimo, et in Insectis Briltanise certe peri- 

 tissimo, hoc insectum singulare inscripsi. 



De Jean, in his catalogue, has named a species from Dalmatia, Oxytdns 

 Taurus, but as there is no description annexed to the name, it is impossible 

 to be certain of the identity of the species ; nor do I consider that we are in 

 the slightest manner bound to notice any name given in print where no suffi- 

 cient description is added. 



Note — Oxytelus fracticornis and its congeners, ought to form a distinct 

 Sub-genus. They are much nearer allied to Bledius than to Oxytelus. 



* Out of the 43-1 Brachelytra mentioned in De Jean's catalogue, only 12 are 

 extra Europsean ; and Messrs. Kirby and Spence (vol. iv. p. 489) state, that 

 from the present catalogues, the metropolis of the Brachelytra appears to be in 

 Britain; Mr. Stephens possessing upwards of 600 British species. 



t NoHv. Meth. de classer les Hymen, p. 63. 



