36 ANNULOSA JAVANICA. 



■73. Bilineatus. H.nigropiceus, eiytris sulculis punctorum duobus obsoletis, linea medid punctorum vagomm, 

 aliisque marginalibus* 



Long. corp. 1^. 

 Insectum praecedenti simillimum, sed difFert corporis longitudine, elytrorum sculptura lineisque punctorum 

 vagis marginalibus tribus vel quatuor, femorilms brunneis, articul'o palporum ultimo brevi crassiore 

 subsecuriformi. 



Fam. 5. SPH^ERIDIDiE. 



It is not my intention to attempt at present the accurate determination of the natural place 

 and boundaries of this family, because it would require a more minute and detailed investiga- 

 tion than the limits of a local Fauna will admit. The remarkably close connexion, however, 

 which exists between M. Latreille's Hydrophilii and Sphmridiota both in construction and eco- 

 nomy, induces me to describe in this place the only two species of Sphceridium which are to be 

 found in Dr. Horsfield's collections ; and, indeed, although I would not by any means be supposed 

 to lay down my arrangement as certain, or for the present attempt to give more than a general 

 statement of the near affinity which exists between this family and the last, yet I cannot forbear 

 calling the attention of the entomologist to the circumstance of the genus Spliceridium possess- 

 ing those two processes to their maxilla;, which form so prominent a character of the Philhydrida 

 as a stirps. 



This family is less aqnatic than any of the four preceding, and I agree with Fabricius in think- 

 ing that such genera as Phalacrus, Agathidium, &c, may safely be assigned to it. It is true that 

 Latreille has separated them from Sphczridhmi, because they are tetramerous ; but by parity of 

 reasoning, ^ince I-Ieterocerus and Georissus are also tetramerous, he ought to have separated the 

 first from the vicinity of Parnus and the other from that of Elmis. It is the evil, however, of 

 half-artificial systems like that which is founded on the number of joints in the tarsi, that while 

 they are at utter variance with natural affinities, they do not even answer the humble pur- 

 poses of a catalogue. 



The similarity of certain species of this family to Petalocerous insects has often been re- 

 marked, and in tact it is from these insects that a transition is made to the Chilognatkomorpha 

 or Coleoptera having larvae which resemble Chilognatha. 



Genus SPH^RIDIUM. Fab. 



74. Hydeophiloides. S. atronitidum punctulatum, palpisantennistarsisthoracisquelateribiisnigro.ru/escm. 



tibus, elytris punctorum striis impressis. 



Long. corp. ^. 

 Obs. This species indisputably proves the close affinity of Sphceridium to the last family. 



75. Marginatum. S. elytris immaculatis maculisve obsoletis, thoracis elytrorumque margine extemo pedibusque 



ferrugineo-lutescentibus. 



Sphwridium Scarabaoides, Var. D. Lat. Gen. Ins. et Crust, vol.. ii. p. 72. 

 Sphceridium marginatum, Fab. Syst. Eleuth. vol. i. p. 93. 



Long. corp. fa. 

 Obs. Without attempting to decide the question, whet'her all those insects which Illiger consi- 

 st, as varieties of Spharidium Scarabccoidcs be really distinct species, I shall merely say, that the 



above 



