1897.] of the Goleoptera of South Africa. 7 



from the rectum and anus and not connected ; it opens in the upper 

 part of the lateral angle of the pygidium, and consists of a sub- 

 pyriform vesicle partly adhering to the tergite of the copulating 

 clasper, and opens in a pore situated near the last stigmata, but 

 underneath it ; the sides are inflated near the opening, and have two 

 apophyses provided with a powerful fascicle of muscles ; on the top 

 of this vesicle is a compressed, membranaceous, short tube trans- 

 versely fibrous, acting as vas deferens, and ending in a large trilobate 

 bladder of thick texture supporting a coiled vessel of moderately 

 large diameter and consisting of two concentric tubes. This vessel, 

 which is the secreting one, is not connected with any gland, but free 

 and immerged in the adipose tissues. 



The position of the Paussidce in the systematic arrangement of the 

 Goleoptera has been much discussed. Burmeister gave as his opinion 

 that they were true Adephaga. It is known that among the Carabidce 

 the genus Ozaena has the same crepitating power as the PaussidicB, 

 and as Lacordaire says : ' ' Not only Ozaena has on each elytron the 

 peculiar lateral, posterior tubercle, but it has also another character 

 in common, i.e., the trochanters project from the internal edge of the 

 posterior coxae." The crepitating power of Brachinides is well 

 known, and most of the Truncatipennes exude from the anal segment 

 a fluid, the emission of which, however, is seldom accompanied by a 

 detonation ; Harpalides do the same, and under certain circumstances 

 some of them crepitate also. Two South African species, Stenolophus 

 capensis and Acupalpus terminalis, do occasionally detonate, and send 

 a small column of whitish smoke when seized. I am not aware of 

 any other Coleopterous insect included in other families that possess 

 this detonating power, and this in itself might be an inducement to 

 bring the Paussidce in the vicinity of the Carabidce, had not Raffray 

 shown that whereas the digestive system as well as the male genital 

 armature are like that of the Carabidous beetles, the nervous system 

 is very dissimilar, the Carabidce having twelve ganglia, of which six 

 are abdominal, while the Paussidce have seven ganglia, of which 

 one only is abdominal. 



Paussidce can thus be considered as a very distinct family, greatly 

 modified by the diet and habits acquired through parasitism or mess- 

 mating, but having more affinities with the Carabidce than with any 

 of the other families of the order Goleoptera. 



They occur in Europe, South America (Brazil), Asia, Ceylon, 

 Java, Australia, Madagascar, and Africa, and now number 223 

 species included in 16 genera. They are represented in Africa by 

 7 genera, 2 of which are peculiar to this part of the world, 

 and 92 species, while of these 6 genera and 46 species are now 



