1868.] 215 



The entire number of species recorded ia 1,419 (of which 19 are doubtful as 

 indigenouSj and at least 38 certainly imi^orted) ; and of these 1,039 appear to be 

 peculiar to the islands in question, though 700 only are, in Mr. WoUaston's opinion, 

 absolute " autocthones." The entire number are distributed in the following pro- 

 portions : Canaries, 1,007 ; Madeiran gi'oup, 661 ; and Salvages, 2<t ; and all but 

 215 have been taken by the author (who first visited the islands in 1847), who has 

 himself described 935 of them. They are contained in 423 genera, — 82 of which 

 have been founded by Mr. Wollaston ; and in the volume now under consideration 

 75 species are first described (appendix), 11 suppressed, and one new genus charac- 

 terized. The number of species, being less than half of those found in Great 

 Britain, may at first seem small ; but it must be remembered that there is little 

 diversity in the hunting-ground beyond sand and mountain, and that the entire 

 area of all the islands (14, without counting mere rocks) is only equal to about six 

 of our smaller counties; the largest being rather less than Cheshire. Nevertheless, 

 the large number of species peculiar to these groups, as compared with our fauna, 

 at once shows their interesting nature. There appear to be 260 species of 

 Colecyptera common to these islands and Great Britain ; and of these we can under- 

 stand the occurrence of Anisodactylus hinotatus, Bemhidium higuttatiim, Agabus 

 hvpustulatus, Laccohius minutus, Cercyon quisquilimn, Epii/roea ohsoleta, Meligethes 

 picipes, Lathridius ni,inuti.t,s, Typhoia fumata, Saprinus nitid/ulus, Aphoduis granarius. 

 Cent, pollmcmus, Apion frumentarium, Sitona lineata, Stropliosoinus coryU, Clytus 

 wrietis, Lema melanopa, Phratora vulgatissima, Coec. 7-punctatcb, Bhizohvus litwa, 

 Falagria ohscura, Ischnopoda longitarsis, Homalota gregaria and analis, Aleochara 

 mcesto., Tachyporus hrunneus, Quedius fulgidiis, Ocypus olens (universal in Canaries, 

 but absent in Madeira), PhilontMis oeneus, sordidus, and varius, Stilicus affi/nis, Stenus 

 cicindeloides and OxyteVus nitidulus being sufficiently aggravating to the newly 

 arrived Coleopterist. 



The Rhynchopliora appear to be the most numerous {Atlantis and Lapa/rocerus 

 the dominant genera), and the Longicorne the rarest ; the Cicindelidce, Cetoniados, 

 and ElateridcB being all but entirely absent, and the first even altogether doubtful. 

 The sluggish Tarphius {Endophloeidoe) is evidently the most endemic, and in fact 

 centi'ed in these isles ; and Calathus and Acalles seem peculiarly abundant in 

 species, — the latter numbering no less than 36, whilst there are but 27 known in 

 all Europe : but perhaps the most salient feature is aflForded by the number of 

 beetles frequenting Euphorhice, as there are 50 species exclusively attached to those 

 plants, and often found in incredible quantities. 



It is difficult to select particular points as interesting, where there is so much 

 likely to be of use ; but the note on Meziv/m sulcatum seeming to be indigenous, 

 living beneath stones and dry scoriae ; — the remarks on the apparent identity of 

 Madeiran and Himalayan Metahletus ohscuroguttatus, and of the Atlantic Trichopteryx 

 uvibricola and Ceylonese T. orientaUs (according to Rev. A. Matthews, whose species 

 are transferred from this magazine) ; — the notes on the Corylophidco (p. 90), and 

 observations on Ptinus and its barbarous inversions (p. 215), — Acalles (p. 270), and 

 Procas (p. 297) must be particularly mentioned. Besides these, the British 

 Coleopterist will find the following references affecting himself : — Dromius sigina 

 (p. 16), Agathidium (p. 86), Stenoloplms Teutonus (p. 49), OUbrus Stephensii (p. 105), 

 and consiynilis (p. 106), Nephanes Titan (p. 101), Epistcmus (jj. 145^, llypera 



