54 ME. A. MTJEEAY ON THE GEO GEAPHICAL EELATIONS OF 



forms which are so common in Switzerland (Oreina and Ento- 

 moscelis). I a Australia these are represented by Australica, 

 which repeats their markings. The genus Galleruca presents 

 similar resemblances ; I have a species from Port Phillip scarcely 

 distinguishable from our British Galleruca Nymphece. Of Hispa 

 I only know two in New Holland ; but one of these is very closely 

 allied to the black species of Europe (H. atra, Fab.). 



But it is not only in what it possesses that Australia shows its 

 microtypal origin, but also in what it wants. In it we have no 

 large Dynastidae or large Lucanidse, no Brenthidse (notwithstand- 

 ing the close vicinity of the New- Guinea and Malayan Archi- 

 pelago, where they are so abundant) except a few species in the 

 extreme north of Australia, obviously derived from the Malayan 

 islands, no Sternocera, no Steraspis, no Psilopteridse. In these 

 and a multitude of similar lacunce, the Australian fauna cor- 

 responds with that of the microtypal stirps in other countries. 



The relative predominance of types is another, though a slighter, 

 indication of relationship. If, for example, we take the whole 

 order of Longicorns, we shall find a remarkable parallelism in the 

 number of species in Europe and Australia. Professor Lacor- 

 daire, in the 8th volume of his ' Genera des Coleopteres,' has the 

 following remark upon them. "The equality," says he, "which 

 exists in respect to numbers of species of Longicorns, between 

 Australia, Europe, and North America, is remarkable. The first, 

 according to Mr. Pascoe's Catalogue, published two or three 

 years since, had then 407 described species. Europe, according 

 to Schaum's Catalogue, had 412 ; and Melsheimer's 1 Catalogue of 

 North American Species,' as published by Leconte, had 408." 



That a certain amount of infusion of New- Guinea and Ma- 

 layan species should be found on the northern coasts of Australia 

 was to be expected ; but it is less, much less, than might have 

 been anticipated, seeing that, from the shallowness of the Straits 

 separating them, former union at some time or other might be 

 predicated. I have already said that there is in some classes of 

 animals and plants an affinity between the Cape of Good Hope 

 and Australia. In the Coleoptera it is not very strong, but per- 

 fectly recognizable. Eor example, I think the characters, faeies, 

 and tuberculous covering of the Australian genera Amycterus, 

 JPsalidura, Acantholophus, and Leptops indicate affinity with the 

 African Somatodes and HipporJdnus, of which latter, indeed, there 

 are actually two species in Australia (as against seventy-six in 



