INSECTA MADERENSIA. 187 



tures with which, the granules are intermixed, being remarkably shallow and ill- 

 defined. Its postmedial prothoracic fovea is, likewise, deeper, and the club of its 

 antennae is more dusky than is the case in that insect. The only two specimens 

 which I have hitherto seen were captured, by myself, on the Lombo das Vacas, 

 June 21, 1850. 



150. Corticaria curta, Woll. 



C. ovata nifo-fusca, capite prothoraceque punctatis sed vix granulatis, hoc curto pone medium dilatato 

 ad latera subintegro, circa angulos posticos leviter excavato (angulis ipsis exstantibus), fovea 

 postmedi^ vel minus distinctS, vel obsoleta, elytris obscurioribus (paulo magis infuscatis) striato- 

 punctatis, antennis pedibusque testaceis. 



Long. Corp. lin. |-|. 



Habitat sub lapidibus omnium insularum Maderensium, prsesertim in locis graminosis, vulgaris : in 

 Porta Sancto necnon in Deserta Grandi tempore vernali abundat. 



C. short, ovate, reddish-brown, pubescent, and very shghtly shining. Head and prothorax much 

 more deeply punctured and less evidently granulated than in the last species : the latter short, 

 with the edges rounded and almost free from crenulations (or with very slight indications of 

 them) ; widest behind the middle ; minutely excavated immediately before the hinder angles 

 (which are, themselves, however, a little prominent) ; the postmedial fovea usually faint, and 

 occasionally obsolete. Elytra rather darker and less rufescent than the head and prothorax, 

 being of a purer brown ; and somewhat distinctly striate-punctate. Antenna and legs testaceous ; 

 the former not having, usually, even their club iufuscate. 



The smallest of the Corticarice here described, and known by its short, ovate 

 outline, by its more or less reddish-brown, or infuscated hue, and by the construc- 

 tion of its prothorax, — which is broadest a little behind the midtUe, obsciu'cly 

 excavated immediately in fi'ont of the postei'ior angles (which are, themselves, 

 consequently prominent, — assuming somewhat the form of a minute tooth), and 

 (unlike that of the C. rotundicolUs) is impressed with distinct and rather large 

 punctures, the intermediate granulations being scarcely perceptible. Its antennee 

 moreover are usually quite pale, and the postmedial prothoracic fovea is often 

 entii-ely obsolete. It would seem to be the Madeiran representative of the common 

 Eui'opean C.fuscula, although with too many distinctive characters of its own to 

 aUow of its being referred to that insect. Thus, for instance, it is more ovate, and, 

 in all cases, considerably smaller ; its prothorax is more suddenly dilated behind 

 the middle, and less distinctly excavated at the posterior angles ; and its antennse, 

 which are iuvariably more abbreviated and less robust, want the dusky apex 

 which is there so conspicuous. It is the most abundant of the Corticarice of these 

 islands, and a truly indigenous species, — beiag widely distriljuted throughout the 

 group, and in positions for the most part far removed from cultivated spots. In 

 Porto Santo and on the Dezerta Grande I have taken it ia profusion, from 



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