INSECTA MADERENSIA. 133 



mountain- slopes of Madeii"a everywliere abound. To such localities it is that they 

 are exclusively assigned, occm-ring in the greatest profusion in those spots which 

 are the least accessible, and where consequently the primaeval timber is, except by 

 the hand of time, most untouched. In then- habits the Tarpkii are strictly 

 noctiu'nal, adhering to the imder sides of moist decaying logs of wood, felled 

 timber, and even stones dm*ing the day, and Ijeing only active, apparently, by 

 night. From 2000 to 5000 feet above the sea may be said to include their range ; 

 nevertheless they are more peculiarly abimdant from 3000 to 4000, and it is perhaps 

 towards the upper edge of those bounds that they find their maximum. Out of a 

 large assortment of specimens, collected in nearly all parts of the sylvan regions, I 

 have succeeded in detecting fifteen distinct forms ; and, although this nimiber may 

 appear considerable for an island thus small, yet I have but little doubt, fi'om the 

 evident local importance of the race, that its extent is even greater still, and that 

 other species will yet be brought to light different from any of those described 

 l)elow. Considering however the inaccessible nature of theu* favourite haunts, it is 

 far from unlikely that many of them will remain for ever undiscovered, — a possi- 

 bility which is not lessened by the fact either of the remarkable manner in which 

 they are able to counterfeit death, and so to elude observation, or of tlie near 

 resemblance of the dull rusty colouring of their uneven and inanimate-looking 

 surfaces to the stones, lichen, and portions of rotting wood to wliich in the day- 

 time they remain firmly fixed*. 



* Out of 486 specimens which I have lately been examining, I find the species distributed in the pro- 

 portions indicated in the annexed table, which I cannot but consider worthy of insertion, not merely 

 because so large a number of examples will perhaps never be brought together again for comparison, but, 

 more especially, because the remote and nimierous positions in which I have collected induce me to be- 

 lieve that it will give a very correct idea of the comparative rarity of the several members of the group ; — 

 T. parallelus 8 



— Lowei 6 



— inomatus {3 5, ? 14) 19 



— spinipes 1 



— sylvicola 4 



— rotundattis 148 



— Lauri {S91, ? 107) 198 



— compactus 17 



— «oiosM« ((? 24, ?29) 53 



— cicatricosus 14 



— testudinalis 5 



— truncatits 5 



— echinatus 4 



— hrevieollis 3 



— rugostts 1 



486 

 I should state that this eniuneration is entirely of Madeiran specimens, and does not include those of the 

 T. Lowei from Porto Santo, which on several occasions have occm-red iu indefinite niunbers. Nor does 

 it contain the entire mass even of those which I have captured in Madeira proper, since many have been 

 distributed amongst my friends in the course of the last three years. But I believe it will, nevertheless, 

 present a fair estimate of the comparative abundance of the species which I have described. 



