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REPORT ON 
THE TIGER BEETLES (CICENDELIDAE) 
By HERBERT C. ROBINSON 
A S Mr. Ridley has observed in a recent paper in the proceedings of 
the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, the Tiger Beetles 
of the Malay Peninsula fall very readily into two divisions — (i) those 
which, like our European species, are essentially denizens of open country 
or of the seashore, and (2) those which are exclusively found in deep jungle. 
To the latter section great interest attaches, for they act as models, which are 
imitated by large numbers of other insects, more especially by beetles of 
other families and by Orthoptera. 
The specimens in our collection have been identified by comparison with 
the series at the British Museum, which has been recently examined by Dr. 
Horn, but in the case of the difficult genus Collyris I cannot be absolutely 
certain of my identification, as in several instances I have had only a single 
specimen : in this connexion I must express my thanks to Messrs. Gahan 
and Arrow, who have always been ready to assist me in every possible way. 
1. Cicendela aurulenta, Fabr. 
This wide-spread species was common everywhere in open country in 
the Siamese Malay States, from sea level — though its place was taken on 
the shore by C. sumatrensis — to 3,000 feet, but we did not ourselves meet 
with it in Perak or Selangor. In habits, it exactly agrees with those of 
C. campestrisy being found running with great rapidity along roads or on 
patches of damp or dry sand, often in the hottest sunshine, and readily 
making use of its wings when disturbed. The mode of flight and the dense 
white pubescence on the lower surface give the insect a close resemblance to certain 
of the smaller wasps, which it resembles also in the buzzing sound it produces 
when handled. 
‘ Its variegated colour, however, renders it inconspicuous in broken light, 
when on sand strewn with scattered leaves and twigs.’ N. A. 
