168 Mr. A. Murray on Coleoptera from Old Calabar. 
rest of America, and that the two were then united to- 
gether. i 
The numerous instances to which I have already had to 
draw attention, in the course of this work, of forms now predo- 
minating in Brazil and properly known as Brazilian types 
being also found in Old Calabar, show, according to my mode 
of interpretation, that a connexion formerly did exist between 
these two portions of the old and new continents; and I 
refer it to that particular period for several reasons: one is 
that there are some particular groups of beetles which have 
not been communicated to West Africa from Brazil, although 
now common there; and these are invariably, so o far as m 
` examination has yet gone, not truly apenes of the natural 
Brazilian type, but species of the European type. Few men 
who have studied the geology and geogeny of Brazil will dis- 
sent from the opinion that it was once isolated from the rest 
of America. This is a safe assumption, and is a step to prove 
the original absence of the European type from Brazil; and 
it seems to stand to reason that after Brazil ceased to be iso- 
lated, it would be invaded by the North-American type, which 
is only another phase of the European type. If it had been 
so invaded, and at the time of its connexion with Africa the 
fauna was “composed of the same proportions of Coleoptera of 
European and of Brazilian type as now subsist in it, the same 
aes ought to have migrated into and be now found in 
est Africa. Therefore, if none of the European type now 
present in Brazil are found in West Africa, but plenty of the 
true Brazilian, it seems to fix the date when the intercom- 
munication took place. We must guard ourselves here from 
being confused by the introduction of the European type 
into West Africa, direct from North Africa or in other direc- 
tions, in more recent times; but very little of this has come 
in, no doubt from the physical isolation, still subsisting, in 
consequence of the deserts or barriers surrounding it; and 
we can generally refer what has come to its proper source 
E inquiring whether it is now present in Brazil. Thus the 
taphylinide are properly a European form which is now 
largely developed 1n Brazil; but I have never met with o 
from West Africa. By t the kindness of m y Old-Calabét 
missionary friends, I have had the eani: of examining 
thousands upon thousands of all sorts of insects from that 
country, from the most minute Phytophage to the Dynastes 
Centaurus, and I have never seen a single Staphylinus : that 
is not chance. They are also very rare in other parts of 
Africa and in India; but I must refer to the paper I have 
above spoken of for an explanation of the mode in which this 
