INSECTA MADERENSIA. 105 



patch is so largely developed as to cover nearly the whole of the elytra,— a small 

 erubescent portion at the base (which in the C. pygmcevm, a species pale only 

 behind, does not exist) is sufficient to point out the law of colouring, and thus, 

 independently of minor cUfferences, to cUstiuguish them from that insect. It 

 occm-s in most parts of Madeira, and at aU seasons of the year. In the vicinity of 

 Funchal, and at Santa Anna in the north of the island, I have observed it in 

 great profusion ; as also on the edges of the Paul da Serra. It is found through- 

 out the whole of Europe, and is recorded by Mulsant as having been brought 

 even from South America. 



83. Cercyon quisquUium. 

 C. oblongum subconvexum nigrum nitidum, prothoracis lateribus elytrisque flavis, his subpuactato- 



striatis, pedibus rufo-ferrugiueis. 

 Long. Corp. lin. 1-1^. 



ScarabcBus quisquilius, Linn. Fiia Suec. 138 (1761). 

 SjplKBridium imipunctattim, var. 'Eah.Hnt. Syst. i. 82 (1792). 

 Cercyon quisquUium, Stepb. III. Brit. Eiit. u. 153. <j (1829). 

 , Miilsaut, Palj}. 166 (1811-). 



Habitat in stercore bovino Maderae Portilsque Sancti, vulgaris: circa Funchal interdum abiindat, 

 etiam in ipsa m-be occurrens qua tempore sereno per aerem volare sEepissime videatur. 



C. oblong, and about as convex as the last species, black, and shining ; closely and deUcately punctu- 

 lated all over. Prothorax with the extreme lateral edges dull testaceous, or fen-uginous. Elytra 

 subpunctate-striated; bright testaceous-yellow. Antenna, palpi, and leys as in the last species, 

 except that the first two are rather more darkly infuscated in parts. 



Readily known from the last two species by its rather larger bulk ; and from aU 

 the Cerci/a here described by the colour of its elytra, which are uniformly of a pale 

 testaceous or yeUow hue. The common C.wivpmictatus, L., is supposed by some ento- 

 mologists to be the female of the present insect : but, if such is the case, it is at least 

 remarkable that I should not have detected that sex in the Madeii-a Islands, where 

 the present one is extremely abvmdant. A jn-iori therefore, I shoidd rather be 

 inclined to agree with Mulsant in considering them as distinct. It occurs plenti- 

 fully in most parts of Madeira, in the dung of cattle, my own specimens being 

 principaUy from the neighbourhood of Funchal, Santa Anna, and from the upland 

 district of the Fanal. In Porto Santo it is equaUy common. It is universal 

 throughout Europe and the north of Africa,— from the former of which it has 

 probably been introduced into these islands. 



