204 Mr. J. O. West wood's Descriptions 



SPECIES FROM SOUTH AMERICA. 



The geographical distribution of the Lucanida; in South Ame- 

 rica is extremely interesting, exhibiting to us a series of types 

 quite peculiar to that portion of the world. Whilst North Ame- 

 rica presents an European tendency in possessing species of such 

 genera as Ceruchus, Platycerus, Lucanus proper (Z. Elephus, L, 

 capreolus, {Damn, F.) L. lentus), and Dorcus (Z). parallehts), 

 South America* maintains a far more exclusive character in its 

 representatives of this family. The Leplinopteri (Hope, Psaliceri 

 Dej., Psalidoslomi Burm.), Macrocrales (M. bitcephalus, Kl.), 

 Scortizus (Westw.), and the Sclerostomi (Burm.), are exclusively 

 South American types of isolated structure. Hexaplujllum Bra- 

 siliense and Westwoodn, it is true, approach nearly to the Aus- 

 tralian Syndesus cornutus, and the South American Chiasognathus, 

 Sphenognathus and Orthognathus,f are most nearly allied to 

 Rhyssonotxis, as is also Pholidotus to Lamprima. 



We thus arrive at the remarkable conclusion that, in this family, 

 the productions of South America are most nearly allied to those 

 of Australia, — a fact, however, which is confirmed by various 

 other instances, especially in groups of anomalous form, such as 

 the Rhipicerce, Pseudomorphce and Helce'i among the Colcoptcra, 

 and the Thynnldce among the Hymenoptera. 



Another Brazilian genus belonging to the Lucanidce, of consi- 

 derable interest and great rarity, is 



Streptocerus ; 

 the only known species of which, S. speciosus, a native of Chili, 

 is described by M. Leon Fairmaire in the Annales de la Soc. 

 Ent. de France, 1850, p. 53, pi. 1, f. 2, the male of which is in 

 the Collection of the Marquis de la Ferte, and the female in that 

 of M. Chevrolat. A second specimen of the female was brought 

 from Chili by J. Miers, Esq., F.R.S., &c., who has kindly placed 

 it in my hands for examination. A good figure of the male having 

 been given by M. Fairmaire, I have not thought it necessary to 

 refigure it ; but, as the representation of the head of the female, 

 given by M, Fairmaire, is inaccurate in several respects, and as 

 he has given no analysis of its organs, I have represented them 

 in the accompanying figures (PI. XT. fig. 1, and details). The 

 antennae in this sex (fig. 1) are represented by M. Fairmaire as 



• Dorcus, according to Burnieister, is found in all quarters of the world ex- 

 cept South America. 



t Burraeistcr suggests lliai OrLhngimthus alba fuscusof Blancliaid (l)"Orbigiiy, 

 Voy. Am. Merid. Ins. pi. 12, fig. 7) is probab'y a ScleroUomus. 



