19 i INSECTA MADERENSIA. 



lated at the sides, although somewhat wider towards the posterior than the anterior portion ; 

 Ukewise, excessively uneven and furrowed, — though it is not easy to perceive the exact direction 

 which the impressions take ; the sides however are very broadly flattened, and the dorsal portion 

 is elevated, though at the same time with an evident and wide channel, or lougitudinal groove, 

 down its (otherwise) highest, or central portion (especially apparent in front) ; this groove is 

 inten-upted behind the middle by a transverse one, which is somewhat more distinct, — the two 

 intersecting each other in the form of a cross. Elytra considerably darker than the head and 

 prothorax, being rufo-piceous ; rather undulating in its external outhne ; vei-y deeply jjunctate- 

 striated (the punctures being exceedingly large and distinct) ; and with their sutm-e and 

 alternate interstices considerably raised. Antenna, mouth and legs very pale rufous, or rufo- 

 ferruginous. 



Apparently extremely rare ; the only specimen wliicli I liave seen liaA-ing been 

 captured by myself in the north of Madeira, by brusliing the long and rank grass 

 at the Lombo dos Pecegueiros, near the edges of the precipitous cliff-road Ijctween 

 Sao Vincente and Seisal, — at a short distance from the eastern limit of the Ribcii-o 

 de Joao Delgada, — on the 22nd of July, 1850. 



Fam. 16. MYCETOPHAGIDiE. 



Genus 66. BERGINUS. 



(Dejean) Erichson, Nat. do- Ins. Brutsch. ill. 405 (1848). 



Curpus minvitum suboblongo-cjliudricuni, pubescens : prothorace elytris paulo angustiore, ad latera 

 minutissime crenulato-marginato (sed baud complanato) : alis amphs. Antenna capitis pro- 

 thoracisque fere longitudine, clavatse pilosse, articulo primo robusto subgloboso, secundo longiore 

 graciliorc subclavato, tertio huic longitudine requali sed graciliore, inde ad nonum paulatim vix 

 brevioribus latitudine suba;qualibus, reliquis clavam magnam laxam perfoliatam biarticulatam 

 efficientibus (decimo magno subpocidiformi, ultimo paido angustiore ovato ad apicem oblique 

 subtruncato). Labrum porrectum subquadratum, antice rotundatum vLx emarginatum ciliatum. 

 MundibuliE valida? triangulares, apice acuta bidentata;, intus basin versus membrana tcnuissima 

 auctae. Maxilla biloba; : lobo externa magno lato subovato, apice vakle pubcscenti : iiiternu 

 breviore angustissimo valdc pubescenti-pencillato. Palpi maxillares articulo ])riiuc) ))arvo, 

 secundo magno elongato subcla\ato, tertio breviore, ultimo magno (fere subsecuriformi) sub- 

 ovato apice oblique truncato : lubiales robusti, articulo primo parvo, secundo maximo crasso, 

 ultimo vix breviore sed multo graciliore subcylindrico. Mentum amplum transverso-quadratum, 

 antice integrum. Ligula ampla lata, apice truncata ciliata. Pedes graciles : tibiis rectis, apicem 

 versus leviter dilatatis : tnrsis l-articulatis, articulo ])rimo Icviter elongato, secundo et tertio 

 brevioribus suba;qualibus, hoc cmarginato ultimum elongatum recipiente ; unguiculis simplicibus. 



Berginus may, I think, be regarded as constituting a veiy natui-al passage 

 between the Luthvidiada: and the ^lycetophagkhc, being allied to both of them in 

 many particulars of its economy and structiu'c, whilst at the same time it cnil)races 

 the entire essential characters of neither. It is usually however placed, and per- 

 haps rightly, amongst the latter, as possessing a considerable affinity with such 



