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Mr. G. Lewis on new Japanese Histeride. 131 
XVII.—On some Histeride new to the Japanese Fauna, and 
Notes of others. By Grorer Lewis. 
In 1879, twenty-six species of Histeride were recorded from 
Japan, and the present paper treats of twenty-three more. 
Besides these, there are fourteen species of Paromalus and seven 
of Saprinus to be determined, which will bring the Japanese 
species up to about seventy, when all those contained in my col- 
lection are recorded ; and itis hardly likely that this list will be 
much augmented at present, as the rarer Histeride are very 
local, and those which associate with Formicide are difficult to 
find. The eight species marked with an asterisk are such as 
have allies in the tropical parts of Hastern Asia; the others 
agree with the Histeride of Europe and Northern Asia. The 
species of Tiryponceus are worthy of notice, because one of 
them occurs as far north as latitude 43°, and hitherto Mexico 
has been the most northern country from which any species 
has been recorded. 
I failed to find Teretrius in Japan; but it is the only 
genus likely to be found in the archipelago which is not as 
yet represented in the list. ister quinquestriatus, Motsch., 
given in my ‘Catalogue’ as no. 663, I now consider =duo- 
decimstriatus, Schrank, and Onthophilus striatus, F. (? var. 
Harold), no. 676,=flavicornis, Lewis. 
In the Histeridz, as in other families, some of the species 
from Japan are closely allied to European forms, and I think 
we cannot refuse to admit the probability of a common origin 
for both at no very remote period; so that a close compari- 
son and careful study of such insects as Hololepta plana and 
depressa, Hister unicolor and concolor, or Hetwrius gratus and 
ferrugineus, will perhaps show the direction that modification 
may assume in like forms when isolation is fairly complete, 
as in Japan, and the conditions realized within the area 
are sufficiently potent to produce a visible effect. It may 
be said that it is only incidentally that Hister concolor and 
Hololepta depressa can be distinguished from their European 
congeners by a densely punctured pygidium : but the incident 
does not lie simply in their having it; it lies in the fact that 
both from their habits have been subjected to certain conditions 
which cause such sculpture. 
The most essential differences between any part of Europe 
and Japan are shown in the climate and other physical con- 
ditions, which in the latter country nourish great forests of 
magnificent timber even at fairly high altitudes, while in 
