REVIEWS. 205 



The present volume contains descriptions of no less than 213 genera. 

 The total number of species enumerated is 482. Of this number, 270 are 

 treated by Mr. Wollaston as novelties ; in addition to which number, 

 eleven had previously been described as Madeiran — making the entire 

 number 281, which, out of 482, it must be admitted, is a large proportion 

 to possess even the chance of being peculiar to these islands. 



On refering to the systematic catalogue of this work, one will be struck 

 at the total absence from the entomological fauna of Madeira of numerous 

 genera (and even of whole families), which are looked upon as all but uni- 

 versal; thus, incredible as it may appear, not so much as a solitary 

 instance of the Cicindelidas, BuprestidaB or Pselaphidas has hitherto been 

 brought to light, whilst the great genera of Carabus, Nebria, Silpha, 

 Necrophorus, Citonia, Telephorus, Otiorhynchus, and others, are altogether 

 wanting. In glancing over this catalogue, we are also struck with the 

 fact that, though Madeira is essentially a land of wood and streams, yet 

 the Longicorns and water-beetles should be the least shadowed forth of 

 the whole. As regards the latter of these, however, the deficiency is not 

 difficult to understand — the rapid nature of the rivers, which are liable to 

 sudden inundations from the mountains, and to deposit their contents in 

 positions distant from their banks, or to pour in ceaseless torrents over the 

 perpendicular faces of the rock, being anything but favourable to insect life. 



The following particulars will be interesting to our geological readers, 

 and tend to prove how dependent the noble science of geology is upon 

 zoology and botany : — There is, strange though it may appear, some slight 

 (though decided) collective assimilation in the Coleopterous fauna of Madeira 

 with what we observe in the south-western extremity of our own country, 

 and of Ireland — nearly all the species which are common to Madeira and 

 the British Isles, being found in those particular regions, and this fact is 

 strikingly illustrated by the following account of Mesites Maderensis, 

 Woll. :— ■ 



M Viewed geographically, this insect is one of the most interesting of the Coleop- 

 terous inhabitants of these islands, as being the exact representative of the M. 

 Tardii, Curtis., hitherto peculiar to Ireland and the south-west of England. In their 

 modes of life, indeed, the two are positively coincident, both being more particu- 

 larly attached to evergreen trees, either in mountain or submaritime sports, whilst 

 in their range of size, colour, and general contour, they present so great a simila- 

 rity, inter se, that they might, at first sight, be almost confounded. Like its Irish 

 analogue, it is purely nocturnal." 



The following account of M. Tardii may not be unacceptable here ; it is 

 appended to the above account in the shape of a note : — 



M This insect, which has not yet occurred in any part of the Continent of Europe, 

 waa originally discovered in decayed hollies, at Powerscourt Waterfall, in the 



