318 The Insect 'Fauna of Van Dienien^s Land. 



The Nitidularidce are systematically as imperfectly ar- 

 ranged^ as any division of the Coleojoterce^ 



Steplien^s genus Cariiojpliiliis is the most important of a 

 small group^ which is distinguished by shortened wings. 

 Two new species from Van Diemen's Land belong to a new 

 genus oi' this growp BracA^peplus, whose characteristics will 

 be found below. The Nitidularidce stand in similar relation- 

 ship to the Trogosita, as the Apafce to the Anohlce. The 

 mouth parts are alike ; the chief difference is in the form- 

 ation of the foot j the Tfo^o^izJ^ having the first joint ex- 

 tremely shorty so that the foot has apparently but four 

 joints. Our collection does not contain a real Trogosita {^), 

 (according to the type T. mauritanica carahoides) , but it has 

 received a remarkable new species related to Gymnocliila, (f) ■, 

 and the type of a new genus^ EgoUa, which differs in the 

 formation of the foot^ and is remarkably analogous to Tro- 

 gosita, in the same manner as Lyctits to Apate. 



It is remarkable^ that out of the entire family of Hister- 

 idce, species of Saprinus only have hitherto been forwarded 

 from New Holland. Van Diemen^s Land has two, Saprimis 

 la'.tus, Er., (J) and a new, smaller species. Is it possible 

 that the genus Hister, of which numerous species are widely 

 distributed in other parts of the world, can be entirely ab- 

 sent from New Holland ? 



The family Dermestidce presents European forms in 

 two new species, one of Megatoma {\\), and one of Trogo- 



(*) Boisduval (Faim. cle I'Ocean, 463-2) describes a Tr. Australis from V. D. Land, 

 ■which is unknown to me. 



(+) Gym.nochila Kl. (Tr. sqiiamosa Griff. An. Kingd. XV. pi. 60. f 3 ) is distinguished 

 from Trogosita by havmg the eyes situate on the top of the head, and by tlie long lip : 

 Peltis squamulosa Gebl. (Ledebour's Journey II. App. III. 97. 3) agrees with it in the 

 form of the lip, but differs from it in having the eyes m the usual place : T. decorata 

 has not the elongated lip, else the three species (?) would agree in appearance, and in 

 the scaly covering of their bodies. Trog. varia F. would also belong here. 



(t) In Klug's " Annual of Entomol." I. 179, 15. [Hist Cyanens. Payk, Mon. Hist. 

 S6, 40, t. 5. f. 2.) 



(II) There is still some uncertainty as to the definition of the genera AUagenus and 

 Megatoma, which would be remedied by abolishing the latter name altogether : 



