INSECTA MADERENSIA. 329 



252. Cceliodes faliginosus. 



C. niger, subtus dense albido-, supra parce fusco-squamulosus, prothorace canaliculato, canalicula in 

 medio late interrupta, elytris rotundato-qnadratis, maculis duabus so. antica et postica sutu- 

 ralibus albo-sqiiamosis ornatis, ilia fascicule postico holosericeo-atro aucta, pedibus parce albo- 

 irroratis, tarsis ferrugineis articulo ultimo piceo-terminato. 



Long. Corp. lin. 1 J. 



CurculiofuJiginosus, Mslim, Ent. Brit. i. 280 (1802). 



cinereus, Mshm, (teste Mus". Kirb".) Ent. Brit. i. 283 (1802). 



Ceutorhynclius fuJiginosus, Stepli. III. Brit. Ent. iv. 25 (1831). 

 Codiodes fuliginosus, Schon. Gen. et Spec. Cure. iv. 291 (1837). 



Habitat in hortis culinaribus Maderse, semel tantum (a mcipso prope Funchal sestate exeunte a.d. 1850) 

 captus. 



C. dull-black, densely clothed beneath viiXh. whitish, and above sparingly with minute fuscous, scales. 

 Head with a veiy slight and abbreviated keel behind, unkeeled and unchanneled in front. Pro- 

 thorax with a wide and tolerably deep dorsal channel before and behind, which is greatly inter- 

 rupted in the middle ; with a prominent tubercle on either side of its disk, and with its front 

 margin elevated. Elytra rotundate-quadrate (the sides being considerably rounded) ; with two 

 abbreviated sutural patches, w\z. one at the base and another (somewhat larger) at the apex, 

 densely clothed with whitish scales, — the basal one moreover being increased behind with an 

 elongated tuft of velvety black pile. Legs sparingly clothed with whitish scales or hairs : femora 

 with a powerful spine beneath : tibia straight : tarsi dull ferruginous, with the extreme tip of 

 their terminal joint dark piceous. Antenna nearly black. 



Apart from tlie struetm-al character already pointed out, iu the formation of its 

 pectoral groove, the present insect* may be at once known from the Madeiran 

 representatives of the preceding genus by its centrally-interrupted prothoracic 

 channel, and by the well-defined white patches at the base and apex of its elytral 

 suture, — the former of which is augmented behind by an elongated fascicle of 

 deep black, velvety scales. It is a most abundant species throughout Europe, and 

 one which has, iu all probability, been accidentally introduced into these islands 

 from more northern latitudes, — very possibly with some of the Siiuqndce, or other 

 culinary vegetables (in the gaUs at the roots of which its larvae, like those of many 

 of the Ceutorhynclii, are said to reside). The only specimen which has hitherto 

 come beneath my notice was capttu'ed hy myself from off a cabbage near Funchal 

 (in the Rev. E. T. Lowe's garden at the Levada), during the smnmer of 1850. 



* The C. fuliginosus is a good deal allied to the C. guttula, of Fabrieius, — which is almost equally abim- 

 dant in European latitudes. It may however be known from it by being rather smaller, by having its 

 forehead free from the centi-al channel characteristic of that insect, by the somewhat different construc- 

 tion of its prothorax and prothoracic tubercles, and by having a conspicuous white patch (in addition to 

 the black fascicle of scales common to both species) at the base of its elytra, immediately behind the 

 scutelluni. 



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