120 INSECTA MADERENSIA. 



N. narrow and nearly oblong, less depressed than the last species, brownish-blaek, most minutely 

 punctulated, and pubescent. Prutlwrax scarcely at all cmarginated in front (being even less so 

 than in the A^. flexuosa), narrower in proportion than that of the last species, and straighter at 

 the sides ; the lateral edges fringed with a fine silken pubescence. Elytra with a small roundish 

 patch a long way within the humeral angle of each, and a larger, oblique and somewhat oblong 

 one a little behind their respective disks, testaceous. Antenna at base and the legs ferruginous ; 

 the former with their club infuscate. 



In all probability an imported insect into Madeira, occm-ring principally in the 

 immediate vicinity of Funchal, — especially in gardens, where it may be often 

 captured adhering to bones. I have however taken it, likewise, in the north of 

 the island, at Santa Anna, though more sparingly. It occui-s throughout the 

 greater portion of Europe, but is not usually so abundant as the N. discoidea. 



98. Nitidula discoidea. 

 N. liito-suboblonga nigra, prothorace antice profunde emarginato, insequali, pone discum bifoveolato, 



limbo plus minusve fcrruginco, elytris in discum latissime testaceis, antennis pedibusque infus- 



cato-ferrugincis. 

 Long. corp. lin. 1^-lj- 



Nitidula discoidea, Fab. Ent. Si/st. 78 (1775). 



, Elig. Kaf. Pre«s.3Sl (1798). 



— , GyU. Ins. Suec. i. 219 (1808). 



, Heer, Fna Col. Heh. 398 (1841). 



Omosita , Erich. Nat. der Ins. Deiitseh. iii. 168 (1848). 



Habitat in ossibus prope Funchal, una cum praicedente degens sed ilia rarior. 



N. broad and oblong, a little more convex on the disk than either of the preceding species, black, 

 rather coarsely punctulated (especially on the prothorax), and somewhat sparingly pubescent. 

 Prothorax deeply cmarginated in front, short and transverse, the entire margins (especially about 

 the anterior angles) more or less dusky ferruginous ; its sui-face uneven, being considerably 

 flattened and a little recurved at the sides, and with two short rounded foveje behind the centre 

 of the disk. Elytra with a large, ragged, pale testaceous blotch, common to both, upon the 

 disk, — leaving only the margins, the apical portion, and a few broken lines or spots within the 

 paler region, black. Antenna and legs brownish-feiTuginous. 



One of the coimuonest European Nitidulcc, and, like the N. '^-jmstulata, pro- 

 bably natm-alizcd in Madeira, where it is apparently exceedingly scarce. I have 

 taken it from out of bones in the neighbourhood of Funchal, during the whiter 

 and spring, but have not as yet observed it in any other portion of the island. 



