XVI.—CICINDELA BERTOLONII, Horn, and the 
South African members of the BREVICOLLIS Group. 
by 
C. N. Barker, F.E.S. 
With Puates XXV and XXVI. 
HE very considerable number of geographical races or forms 
among the Crcindele, of more than one group, which over a very 
wide area of distribution have a similar pattern of markings in common, 
has led to a4 confusion in their synonomy. In none has the 
difficulty of determination and classification been greater than in the 
group bearing the dbrevicollis type of pattern. The stability of this 
pattern, within very circumscribed limits of variation, is evidenced by 
its wide range over Africa, Madagascar and India. A complete 
review of all the species and varieties inhabiting the whole of this 
extensive range is beyond my knowledge to deal with satisfactorily, 
but within South African limits I propose to try and clear up some 
of the uncertainty as to identities and affinities of the races found 
therein, and to claim for one of these recognition as a distinct species. 
One of the commonest of the forms that occur in Natal has the 
peculiarity in the males of possessing a secondary sexual badge, in the 
form of a fascicle of bristles on the fourth joint of the antenne. As 
far back as 1901, I wrote expressing my views as to its specific 
distinctness from C. clathrata, Dejean, with which it was then, and I 
believe still is, confounded ; and I proposed for it the name /fasciculi- 
cornis. In 1907, with some further data added, I forwarded my 
paper to my friend Prof. Poulton, who referred it to Dr. Walther 
Horn of Berlin. At that time I was unaware of the existence of C. 
bertoloni (Chd. in litt.) Horn, except for a brief reference to it made 
by Dr. L. Peringuey in his catalogue of the Coleoptera of South Africa* 
as a variety of C. montevroi, Bates, a species which belongs to an 
entirely different group. Subsequently, I received from Dr. Horn co- 
types of his species, taken in late German East Africa, an examination 
of which at once demonstrated to me, that my /asciculicornis could, at 
most, claim only to be a variety or sub-species of his C’. bertolonit. 
In the last letter I received from Dr. Horn dated 18th April, 1908, 
he says: ‘‘T have more than once still (sic) thought of the question of 
* Trans. Phil. Soc. 8S. Africa, vol. vii, p. 44, 
(169) 
