214 INSECTA MADERENSIA. 



Madeiran ones, except that the single row of pimctui-es along the extreme hinder 

 margin of theu* prothorax is rather less evident. 



Genus 76. SAPRINUS. 



Erichsou, in Klug Jalirl. i. 172 (1834). 



Corpus mediocre, \A\\% minusve ovato-quadratum (lateribus plerumque le\-iter undulatis), durum, 

 glaberrimum, srepius punctatum : capite retracto : pruthorace postice lato elytris arete applicato, 

 latera versus baud striato : prosterno antice lobo nullo iustructo : eh/tris ad apicem truncatis, 

 striis obliquis (postice valde abbreviatis) inipressis : alis plerumque amplis. Antenna bre- 

 vissimse (capitis longitudine) capitatse geniculatse, articulo primo clongato robustissimo flexuoso 

 cla^•ato, in fovea ad margiuem capitis inter otium rejiosito, funieulo subfiliformi (articulo primo 

 robusto globoso-quadi-ato, ultimo brevissimo lato lamelliformi), reliquis capitulum magnum 

 solidissimum truneato-globosum triartieulatum efficientibus. Lahmm transversum, antice levitcr 

 emarginatum, lateribus ciliatis. Mandibulte magnse valida; incurva; exsertae (dente infra apicem 

 ssepius obsolcto), ad basin latse pnbcsccutes. Maxilf<e bilobse membranacese : lobo externa 

 elongate latiusculo, intus ct apice valde pubescenti : interno brcvi pubeseeuti, intus valde ciliato. 

 Palpi filiformes ; maxillares articulo primo parvo, secundo ct tcrtio majoribus crassioribus sub- 

 ajqualibus (ultimo elongato fusiformi basi truncato) : labiales e scapis ligulse eonnatis surgentes, 

 articulo primo jiarvo, secundo et tertio longitudine sub;cqualibus (illo subelavato, hoc fusiformi 

 basi subtruncato). Mentiim subquadratum, apice emarginatum. Liyula bipartita valde pilosa, 

 lobis longis divergentibus membranaceis. Pedes validi retractiles : tibiis latis compressis, extus 

 plus minusve dentatis (posterioribus necnon biseriatim spinulosis) : tarsis filiformibus liberis, 

 articulis quatuor baseos longitudine subrequalibus. 



SapHntts, in the size and habits of the species which compose it, as also in 

 the construction of its inner maxillary lobe and in the subequal joints of its feet, 

 brings us nearly back again to Il/sfer. Like the preceding group however, and 

 others not found in the ]\Iadeii'a Islands, it would seem to be best understood 

 when regarded as an offshoot from Sister proper. For ijerhaps we are too apt to 

 be misled by names, and to imagine that genera, simply because they are so called, 

 are necessarily of equal importance inter se : whereas it is well known to 

 natm'alists, that, attendant upon great primary forms (such as Mister, Cicindela, 

 OtiorJii/iichiis, &c.), which arc distributed over more or less of the known world, 

 Ave almost invarial)ly discover a certain niunbcr of subsidiary modiiications, "which 

 remain constant within theh' respective boixnds, and are often of geographical 

 significance, shaping out, as it were, secondary though well-defined assemblages, — 

 satellites around their central tjqies. It is just such a position as this that the 

 genus before us would appear to occupy : — for, as the Ophoni arc distinguished 

 from Harpalus, the Allcoitidcs from Laparocerits, and the O.vijomi ivom. uijjhodiiis, 

 so the Saprini are moulded out of Uister, according to a fixed law which we can 

 seldom fail even ijrimd facie to detect. Thus, theu* somewhat shorter, more 

 ovate and rather undulated outliue, in conjunction AAith the more or less sub- 

 metallic hue of theu* comparatively piuictulated surfaces, the very oblique and 



