INSECTA MADERENSIA. 37 



26. Olisthopus Ericse, TT'oU (Tab. I. fig. 8.) 



O. elongato-ovatus depressus fusco-aeneus, prothorace elongato-rotundato, elytris striatis, singiilo 

 piinctis tribus magnis profunde impresso, interstitiis distincte granulatis, margine et sutura plus 

 minusve flavescentibus, antennis pedibusque pallido-testaceis. 



Long. Corp. lin. 2i-2|^. 



Habitat per partem Maderse sylvaticam, prsecipue sub cortice Erica scoparia, L., et E. arborea, L., 

 inter 4000' et 5000' s.m. crescentiunij sestate non infrequens : in regione Fanalensi necnon ad 

 Cruzinhas abundat, qua mense Julio a.d. 1850 copiosissime deprehensi. 



O. narrower than the last, elongate-ovate, sliining, depressed, and pale brassy-brown, — occasionally 

 almost Ecneo-testaceous, and sometimes with a slight metallic splendour of blue or green. Head 

 and prothorax darker than the rest of the surface ; the former shorter than that of the 0. Made- 

 rensis; the latter narrow, and attenuated posteriorly, nevertheless with the hinder angles not 

 completely rounded oiF; very rugo^ely punctured at the sides and behind, and with a deep 

 channel down the disk ; the sides sometimes a little pale. Elytra faintly striated, the interstices 

 distinctly granuled ; with three very large and distinct impressions down the disk of each near to 

 the third stria from the sutm-e ; the margins and suture more or less distinctly and broadly pale, 

 the lighter colour being occasionally so much diffused as to leave an elongated \'itta on the disk 

 alone slightly darker. Legs, antenna and palpi very pale testaceous. 



The smaller size, and narrower and flatter body of the present species, added to 

 its paler and more metallic surface, more quadrate prothorax, and the larger and 

 deeper punctures down the disk of each of its el}"tra, will be sufficient to separate 

 it at first sight from the last. Its interstices, moreover, are more evidently 

 granuled than those of the O. Maderensis, its prothorax, at the sides and behind, 

 is more roughly punctured, and its antennae are distinctly shorter. It is also by 

 far the rarer insect of the two, or at any rate more local, its range, as already 

 stated, being both smaller and confined to portions of the island less easy of 

 access. It does not appear to be ever very abimdant either below the altitude of 

 4000, or above 5000, feet, although dm-ing the winter-time I have taken occa- 

 sional specimens so low do^ii in the Boa Ventura as about the midway point 

 between the coast and the Bocca das Torrinhas, which is scarcely elevated perhaps 

 more than 2500 feet above the sea. It is evident however that it attains its 

 maximum in a much loftier region, since on many of the extensive Serras between 

 the Limits of 4000 and 5000 feet it exists in actual profusion. Diu-ing my encamp- 

 ment at the Cruzinhas, in July 1850, I had an opportunity of witnessing this, on 

 a large scale, in the dense forest uplands known as the Serra de Seisal. That 

 district is principally clothed with the gigantic Tree Heaths {Erica scoparia, Linn., 

 and JE. arhorea, Linn.) ; and beneath the fil^rous outer envelope of these the O. Ericce 

 literally swarmed. Nor indeed did it preponderate in any one particular spot, 

 but extended over the whole of those sylvan tracts. It is a remarkably active 

 insect ; and the only successful way in which I could seciu^e them was, by placing 

 a large net beneath the trunks and branches of the trees (an operation which their 

 singularly distorted and flexuose forms rendered extremely easy), and peeling off 



