35 



Order Coleoptera. 



The Coleoptera, or beetles, form the most numerous order of 

 Insecta, 80,000 species being mentioned by Dr. Leunis (Natur- 

 geschichte, 1868) as known to exist, and are represented in my 

 collection by more than 1,400 species, constituting 53 per cent, 

 of tbe wbole, yet by no means comprising nearly all the species 

 known to exist in the localities indicated. In the arrangement 

 Latreille's system has been principally followed on account of 

 its simplicity. 



Commencing with the CicnsrDELiE : their rarity is very remark- 

 able, only five species in two or three genera having been 

 obtained. One species of the typical Cicindela occurs near Lake 

 Alexandrina, white and dark-grey in colour, where it is fairly 

 numerous at times. Another, very rare and minute, was taken 

 at New Mecklenburg, near the banks of the Cawler. A brilliant 

 golden green Tetraclia, said to have been taken near Port 

 "Wakefield, occurs in the Far North, and also near the Australian 

 Bight, as I have been informed. A small, dark-coloured species, 

 glittering as if bedewed by jewels, related to Tetraclia, was taken 

 near Nuriootpa and at Ardrossan. 



The CARAEiDiE are more numerous than the foregoing, 

 mustering 123 species in about 28 or 30 genera. Some of the 

 latter are fairly rich in species ; thus Bembidium is represented 

 by ten, Gardbini (all small) by fourteen, Chlcsnius by eight, 

 ScaritidoB by thirteen (the largest about one and a quarter inch 



Table showing Number of Genera and Species op the Families and 



Groups of Coleoptera. 







Families and Groups. 



Number of 

 Genera. 



Number of 1 

 Species. 





2 — 3 



5 





28 — 30 



123 





4 



21 



4. Staphilini 



5 — 6 

 3 



26 

 21 





6 — 7 



42 



9. Clerici 



9—10 



1 



10 



143 

 2 



37 





28 — 29 



144 



12. Baculicornia 



13 — 14 

 2 



89 

 6 





15 — 16 



113 





4 — 5 



27 





7 — 8 

 2 



123 



82 



Total 



20 

 25 — 26 



289 

 118 



186 — 196 



1,411 



