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journal r. A. s. (ceylon). [Vol. 111. 



at all in the Scydmcenidoe (a family to which I have not, an til 

 lately, paid much attention) had I not been struck by seeing 

 the elytra of my S. alatus open, when handling it with a fine 

 painter's brush in a drop of water, it being at the time quite 

 out of the question that the opening could have been effected 

 by pressure. On opening the elytra fully, I had no difficulty 

 in discovering the wings. 



Rendered extremely curious by this discovery — diametri- 

 cally opposed to the distinct statement of so great an authority 

 as the one just alluded to — I now examined other species, and 

 all with the same result, most of them opening the elytra 

 without my assistance, in the same manner as alatus; and 

 I have not the slightest doubt that, when a sufficient number 

 of specimens will enable me to examine the rest, it will still 

 be with the same result. 



That these insects use their organs of flight may be gathered 

 from the following. At a former period, \ lived in a house 

 situated on a small eminence and overlooking extensive groves 

 of cocoanut trees, cinnamon gardens, paddy fields, and patches 

 of jungle. Here I collected large numbers of Pselaphidce, 

 especially Euplectus, in thin, scarcely visible, spider webs, with 

 which the white walls of the house were covered in certain 

 places — thus forming one large trap for anything small flying 

 about. That these had been caught here when on the wing- 

 there can be no doubt ; but I was much surprised to find with 

 them (what is so common in more congenial localities, here 

 also,) a considerable number of Scydmceni, especially my 

 5. advolans and pubescens, as they were said by the most 

 recent authority to be unable to fly, and the position they 

 lien found themselves in, was one they could not well, or 



ould not possibly, have got into otherwise than by flying. 

 . rom some reason or other, I am ashamed to say, I did not 

 follow up the matter at the time ; but I am now certain on 

 the subject. Indeed, to remove all doubt and to settle all 

 disputes, I have just been so fortunate as to take my 8. advolans 

 actually on the wing, flying in my garden in the evening at 

 sunset, 



