cxxxvi Mr, E. Newman's Characters of Dohrnia 



ever approaching Asclera sanguhiicollis, and still more nearly Asclera mansueta, a 

 widely distributed New Holland species which is familiar to all collectors.* A charac- 

 ter of very trivial importance, and one that might reasonably be looked for in any 

 group of Coleoptera, adds some additional weight to this view of the case. In the ge- 

 nus Asclera, the species frequently have several joints of the antennae near the base 

 longitudinally divided as regards colour; the entomologist need only examine the 

 very familiar sanguhiicollis, Fabr., sanguinicollis, Curt., and mansueta, h. o. ; and 

 this is precisely the case with these joints in the insects before us, which retain some- 

 thing like a normal and simple structure. 



But although I place this insect without hesitation among the Stenelytra, and in 

 the more restricted group (Edemeridae, I must not be considered as expressing any 

 opinion as to the integrity of these groups : thus, the character of the elytra is of very 

 doubtful value ; not that a character derived from the elytra is necessarily worthless ; 

 on the contrary, in some groups, as the Staphylinites for example, it is excellent : but 

 that in the Stenelytra it is intrinsically vague, and its application essentially arbitrary. 

 Again, in the minor group, associated under the name (Edemeridae, there is an equal 

 departure from the character proposed as distinguishing — the inflated metafemora ; 

 this singular character being restricted to a very small number of the species origi- 

 nally and still included in it, and to one sex only, the other species and sex being 

 rather remarkable for simple and slender metafemora. The genus Nothus, again, 

 appears to me to be widely discrepant, its oral apparatus being entirely different, and 

 the Khyncophoromorphous genera Mycterus and Salpingus have no further apparent 

 connexion with the group, than the very comprehensive character of heteromerous tar- 

 si. Again, the singular insect, Cephaloon Lepturides, found in the United States by 

 my lamented friend, Edward Doubleday, and described by me in the fifth volume of 

 the ' Entomological Magazine,' is equally abnormal ; as also is the extraordinary 

 Calopus serraticornis of Fabricius. I will not, however, venture on the assertion that 



but I think perhaps not the sanguinicollis of Fabricius, since that species is without 

 the singularly disposed fuscous markings which, in Mr. Curtis's beautiful figure, adorn 

 the prothorax. I venture the suggestion that this author has made this combination 

 of characters, seeing he advisedly combines (Edemera and Asclera, as well as Dryops, 

 under one generic name, and therefore probably concluded that it was a matter of in- 

 difference which insect he selected for purposes of anatomical detail. I hope it will 

 not be considered presumptuous if I add that in such instances it would have been 

 well to name the species dissected, as well as that figured entire, or still better, to have 

 drawn the details from the identical species figured entire. 



* Asclera mansueta. 

 Caput in prothorace receptum ; epicranium et oculi nigra ; fades late ferruginea ; la- 

 brum et palpi nigra; antenna: corporc breviores, W-articulaUe, simplices, artindi 

 \us 2usque seminigri, scmiferruginei, colores longitudinaliter divisi, cattcri nigri; 

 elytra ct abdomen nigra, elytra conferlhn puncta, baud striata, apice acuta ; pro- 

 thorax obeordatns, late fcr rug incus, maculis 4 nigris, 2 minoribus anticis distanti- 

 bu8, 2 majoribui poslicis subapproximatis ; coxa ferruginea ; femora ferruginea, 

 apicibus fuscU i tibia ft tarsi fusca. {Corp. long. 375 unc. lat. *1 unc.) 

 Bab.— Australia. In the cabinet of the British Museum. 



