INTRODUCTION. XI 



phorus, Cetonia, Telephoriis, Tentyria, Pimelia, Acis, Asida and Otiorhynchus are 

 altogetlier wanting. The vast race of the Thaler ophagous Lamellicorns {vid. p. 235), 

 as also the immense department of the Elateridce {vid. p. 239), are represented 

 apparently by but a single form, — as are also the SUphklie, Telepliorklce, Tenty- 

 riadcB, and the (Edemendcs. 



Of the 13 primary sections into which I have distribvited the entire Coleoptera, 

 the Bhyncoplwra contains the largest amount of species, and the Eucerata the 

 smallest. Arranged numerically, they are as follows : Rhyncophora (104), Necro- 

 pliaga (80), Geodeplmcja (63), Brachelytra (71), Friocerata (35), Atmchelia (29), 

 Coirlylocemfa (22), Fhytophaga (21), Pseudotrimera (17), Philhydrkla (13), Tm- 

 clieUa (11), Hydradephaga (7), Eucerata (6). Now there is an anomaly in these 

 proportions, which it is not easy, at first sight, to account for, — namely, that, 

 whUst Madeira is essentially a land of wood and streams, 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 poiu' in 

 ceaseless torrents over the perpendicular faces of the rocks, being anything but 

 favourable to insect life. 



Of the 56 families which enter our lists, the CttrcnlioHidcc, StaphyUnidce and 

 CarabidcB (as miglit be expected) take the lead, — the first nmnbering 80 species, 

 the second 73, and the thuxl 63. The next, in point of extent, is the Colydiadce, 

 — which contains 19. The Galerucidce has 13 ; the Lathridiadce and Coccinellidce 

 12 ; the Apthodiadce 10 ; the Melyridce 7 ; the Dytiscida;, Sisteridce and Ceram- 

 bicidcB 6 ; the Chrysomelidce 4, and the ScydnKBuidce 1. 



Of the genera with which we have here to do, Tarpthius and Homalota (each of 

 which have 15 representatives) rank first. Then comes Atlantis (which has 14) ; 

 Acalles (13) ; Ptinus (10) ; Trechus and Helop)S (9) ; Bemhidium and L(Bmo- 

 phlceus (8) ; Caulotrnpis, Apion and Philonthus (7) ; Bromius, Corticaria, Apho- 

 dius, Longitarsus and Scymnns (6) ; Lixiis, Sitona, Psylliodes, Coccinella and 

 Oxytelns (5), &c. 



In glancing over oru* catalogue, we shall be struck, apart from the dearth in the 

 Hydradephaga and Eucerata (already commented upon), by the great scarcity of 

 the flower-infesting tribes, — which, in a country like Madeira, where vegetation 

 i& redundant, is not a little extraordinary. Thus, to take the various families, in 

 succession, which may be considered as par excellence falling under that denomi- 



to have been incorrectly referred (as was also, I imagine, his Melanerus Amaroides) to the islands of our 

 present gi-oup. Tliey may possibly have been Canarian, or (which is more likely stUl) from the Azores ; 

 but until fiu-ther evadenee than that of a mere Catalogue (formed in another coiuitry, and subjected to 

 all the chances of imcertaia information) be supplied, I confess I shall not be inclined to regard them as 

 otherwise than apocryphal. 



62 



