212 INSECTA MADERENSIA. 



associate ^vitli Ants. The second however of the two representatives described 

 below would appear to be aberrant in this respect, occurring, like the true Histri, 

 amongst putrescent substances, — of an animal as well as a vegetable nature. 



§ I. Corpus suhqtMdrato-rotundatum : tihiis angustiorihus, extus leviter eroso-subdentatis : iarsix articuJo 



primo valde elanqato. 



167. Paromalus minimus. 

 P. niger nitidus imdique crebre punctulatus, elytro singulo striis quatuor (interna minus profunda, 



postice abbreviate sed antice fere ad suturam incurva) impresso, abdomine crebre punctulato, 



antennis pedibusque rufo-piceis. 

 Long. Corp. lin. |. 



Ulster minimus, Dej. Cat. (edit. 1) (1821). 



Dendrophilm punctafus, Steph. (uec Eiif. Uefte) Til. Brit. Ent. iii. 159 (1830). 



minimus, Dej. Cat. (edit. 3) li3 (1837). 



Paromalus minimus, Aubc, Ann. de la Soc. Ent. de France (2'*"'« serie) viii. 322 (1850). 



Habitat sub lapidibus Maderae, prsesertim in clivis graminosis inter 2000' et 4500' s. m., hinc inde 

 parum vulgaris, — formicarum nidos, nisi fallor, interdum colens. 



P. small and nearly round, black, often witb a piceous tinge (especially on the prothorax), shining, 

 and closely punctulated* all over, — the punctures being rather larger on the elytra, and towards 

 the hinder portion of the prothorax, than in front. Elytra with their extreme apex picescent ; 

 and with four impressed and obscurely punctate stri;e down the outer disk of each, shghtly 

 abbreviated behind, — especially the inner one, which is moreover very much fainter than the rest, 

 and incurved in front (where it has the appearance, beneath the microscope, of being regularly 

 and curiously undulated, or zigzaged) nearly to the suture, where it is suddenly terminated at a 

 short distance from the scutellum. Abdomen closely and finely punctulated. Antenna and legs 

 rufo-piceous ; the former with their club a httlc paler. 



A very distinct little Paromalus ; and kno^-n at once by its minute, roimded, 

 and densely punctulated body, and by the innermost of it?, four elytral stria? being 

 exceedingly lightly impressed, and arcuated in front almost to the suture. It is 

 rather a common insect throughout Madeira, occurring for the most part under 

 stones in grassy spots, between the limits of from 2000 to about 4500 feet above 

 the sea. On most of the mountain-slopes above Funchal I have taken it in 

 tolerable abundance, and at all seasons of the year ; as also in exposed positions at 

 Camacha, and on the Paid da Scrra, in July. It is a species of central and 

 Mediterranean latitudes, being recorded in France, Spain, SicUy and Algeria ; and 

 I have, likewise, captured it along the southern shores of England and ^^'ales, 



♦ This sculpture, when viewed beneatli a liigli magnifying power, is of a very pccuhar nature, tlie 

 spaces between the larger pimctures being muformly studded (especially on the elytra) \v\i\\ fasciculi of 

 excessively minute impressions, — each fascicidus, or cluster, being usually composed of about three of 

 tliese microscopic points, of which the centnd one is the largest. 



