412 Mr. T. V. Wollaston on Madeiran Coleoptera. 



capitis prothoracisque vix longitudine, articulo l mo robustissimo valde 

 inflato subgloboso, 2 do minore, 3 tio huic graciliore sed elongato (forsan 

 duorum inter se arete conjunctorum composito), 4 sequentibus (i. e. 

 usque ad capitulum) latitudine leviter crescentibus, capitulo magno 

 solidissimo subgloboso ex articulis duobus vel tribus (l m0 multo ma- 

 jore) inter se arete compressis formato. Labrum transversum, antice 

 vix emarginatum submembranaceum ciliatum. Mandibulce triangu- 

 lares corneae, ad apicem incurvse latiusculse tridentatae, margine in- 

 terno arcuato-emarginato et membrana robusta aucto. Maxilla bi- 

 lobae, lobis angustulis subrectis ; interno externo paulo breviore, 

 intus ciliato. Palpi subfusiformes : maxillares art. l mo parvo, 2 do 

 3 tio que (illo prsecipue) majoribus crassioribus, ultimo elongato fusi- 

 formi basi truncato : labiales art. l m0 parvo, 2 do magno crassiore, 

 ultimo huic vix angustiore fusiformi basi truncato. Mentum corneum 

 transversum, antice paulo angustatum et leviter emarginatum. Li- 

 gula longiuscula, apice membranacea pubescens. Pedes breves, sub- 

 contractiles, antici leviter posteriores valde distantes : tibiis com- 

 pressis, apicem versus paulo dilatatis : tarsis 4-(?)articulatis ; art. 

 l mo magno, subtus in lobum elongatum pubescentem producto, duo- 

 bus (vix tribus, ut mihi videtur) sequentibus minutis simplicibus, 

 ultimo elongato unguiculis simplicibus munito. 

 Ab ev bene, et EeaTos politus. 



For an opportunity of carefully examining the oral organs of 

 the curious little beetle from which the above generic diagnosis 

 has been compiled, I am indebted to Mr. Westwood, who has 

 succeeded most admirably in dissecting it, and has furnished 

 me with an excellent drawing both of the entire insect and its 

 various parts. The rather obscure structure, however, of some 

 of its details, in conjunction with their small size, has rendered 

 it difficult to pronounce positively on one or two of them. Thus, 

 I am as much at a loss as Mr. Westwood is to determine whether 

 the third articulation of its antennse may not be composed of 

 two joints closely soldered together, as also whether the club is 

 in reality made up of two or three. Again, it is open to inquiry 

 whether there may not be three minute joints in the feet (instead 

 of two) between the large basal one and the terminal ; for the 

 highest powers of the microscope have been hitherto insufficient 

 to convince either Mr. Westwood or myself of this for certain. 

 Be these few points, however, settled (ultimately) as they may, 

 there can be but little doubt, I think, that the insect is allied to 

 Engis, and must be referred therefore to the Erotylidce. Its 

 general aspect, indeed, is strongly suggestive of Engis, whilst its 

 upper and lower lips, mandibles, maxillse, and sterna are ex- 

 tremely similar to (though not actually identical with) those of 

 that genus ; in the singular construction of its feet, however, 

 and its very solid antennal club, it differs from Engis essentially, 

 whilst in its habits, which appear to be Myrmecophilous, it 

 offers another most remarkable peculiarity. 



