INSECTA MADERENSIA. 377 



rather robust, decumbent, cinereous, or somewhat greenish-cinereous pubescence. Rostrum and 

 prothiirax as in the A, inconstans ; the latter however with its widest portion perhaps just per- 

 ceptibly less medial, and also rather more deeply, and not quite so closely punctured, — the 

 larger punctures having no tendency to throw out radiating lines, and the intermediate ones 

 being a little more evident than those of that species. Elytra rather less deeply punctate- 

 striated than in the A. inconstans, and with the scales, or pubescence, somewhat more robust, 

 paler, and with less of a metallic lustre. Antenna and legs as in the last species ; except that 

 \h& former are rather shorter, and have their scape much robuster at its base (and more curved), 

 and with the first and second joints of their funiculus subequal. 



The distinctions between the present insect and the last have been ah-eady 

 pointed ont in the above comparative description ; and it will be sufficient there- 

 fore to add that, whilst in point of size it is intermediate between the A. inconstans 

 and the A. insfablUs, and is in general structure somewhat allied to both ; its 

 anteriorly subacuminated form, the robustness of its scales and scape, and the 

 equality of the first and second joints of its funiculus would seem to indicate, 

 apart from minor differences, that it is a true species, and no local state of either 

 of them. Three examples only have hitherto come under my observation ; which 

 I captured, from beneath stones, on the Campo de Baxo of Porto Santo during 

 December 184)8. 



288. Atlantis instabilis, WoU. 

 A. elongato-ovatus vel subovatus, fusco-piceus vel ferrugineus, pube subcinerea vel subfulvescenti- 

 cinerea depressa variegatus, prothorace profunde punctato, elytris punetato-striatis, ad apiceni 

 setis brevibus erectis parce adspersis, interstitiis alternis plus minusve indistincte tessellatis, 

 antennarum scapo subrobusto valde curvato, articulo tertio secundo paulo longiore. 

 Variat elytris rotundatioribus, vel interstitiis alternis baud perspicue tessellatis. 

 Long. Corp. lin. 2-3i. 



Habitat in Portu Sancto, vulgaris ; — sub lapicUbus in Campo de Baxo, sed prsesertim super promon- 

 torium quoddam orfe septentrionalis, mensibus Decembri et Aprili a meipso lectus. 



A. more or less elongate-ovate, or ovate, brownish -piceous or ferruginous, and rather densely clothed 

 with a decumbent fulvo-cinereous, or subcinereous pubescence, — which has sometimes a brownish- 

 golden tinge, but very rarely any admixture of green. Rostrum and protkorax as in the A. mendaw ; 

 the latter being perhaps rather more closely, though equally deeply punctured. Elytra punctate- 

 striated ; free from additional pile except at the extreme apex, where there are an exceedingly 

 few, and very short bristles, or stiffish hairs; the alternate interstices more or less obscurely 

 tessellated with denser portions of the pubescence, but sometimes so faintly so as to appear 

 altogether untessellated. Antennae and legs as in the A. mendax ; except that the former have 

 the scape perhaps not quite so robust (though very much thicker at its base than that of the 

 A. inconstans), — and with the second joint of their funiculus a little longer than the first. 



By far the commonest and most unstable of aU the Porto Santan Atlantides, — 

 scarcely two specimens out of more than thirty, from which the above description 



3c 



