272 Transactions.—Zoology. 
defect, by giving a brief account of the species at present known to science. 
The family Pselaphide is represented in these islands by fifteen named 
species, placed in six genera, four of which appear to be peculiar to Australia 
and New Zealand, whilst the others (Pselaphus and Euplectus) are of wide 
distribution ; and there can be no doubt, that this list will be greatly aug- 
mented from time to time as our entomologists make further discoveries 
which will render, it necessary, to establish several new genera. 
Those which have been described are named as follows :— 
Tyrus mutandus Dalma pubescens 
Pselaphus pauper Sagola major 
Bryaxis inflata ~~ prisca 
5 micans »  miscella 
- dispar » parva 
“i deformis Euplectus convexus 
ii impar yy» Opacus. 
at 
» grata . 
The Beetles comprising this family are small, but remarkably handsome _ 
as compared with the greater portion of our Coleoptera; their characteristic 
colour is red, varying from orange to brown ; and they may be readily dis- 
tinguished from all our other beetles by their abbreviated elytra and 
cumbersome antenna, the latter being usually terminated by a distinct 
club; but inexperienced collectors are apt to confound them with the 
Brachelytra, a mistake, however, which is easily avoided by attending to the 
joints of the tarsi, as well as the general outline of the body ; the abdomen 
of the Pselaphide, though comparatively as much exposed as is the case 
with the insects belonging to Brachelytra is much less elongate. 
The group is divided into the sub-families Pselaphini and Euplectint, 
and as an instance of the importance of a thorough investigation of our 
Coleoptera, I may quote from a paper read by Dr. Sharp, before the 
Entomological Society of London, in which it is asserted that the dis- 
covery of ‘the new genera Dalma, which is intermediate between the two 
genera Batrisus and Euplectus, indicates that the division of the Pselaphide 
into two main groups can scarcely be maintained.” 
I have found these insects in various parts of this Province amongst 
vegetable refuse, under boards and stones, in splintered stumps of trees, 
and in company with, if not actually joint inhabitants of the nests of, the 
Red Ant, at all seasons of the year; but although they occur under such 
varying circumstances, a collector will be a long time in obtaining many 
species, or even many individuals of any one species, as it is but seldom 
that more than one or two are met with at one time, and being incon- 
spicuous as to size, they are very likely to be overlooked altogether. 
