4.36 INSECTA MADERENSIA. 



331. Lema melanopa. 

 L. parallelo-oblonga nitida viridi-cyanea, prothorace, femoribus tibiisquc rufo-ferrugineis, anteuuis 

 tarsisque nigris. 

 Var. /3. elytris obscurioribus. 

 Long. Corp. lin. 2g-2f. 



Chrysomela melanopa, Liim. Fna Sitec. 573 (1761). 

 Lema melanopa, Fab. Ent. Syst. v. Suppl. 93 (1798). 

 Cnoceris melanopa, Stepli. III. Brit. Ent. iv. 281 (1831). 

 Lema melanopa, Laoordaire, Mon. des Phytoph. i. 393 (184.5). 



Habitat in humidiusculis iMaderse, a vere novo usque ad autumuuni, passim: rar. (3. ad Portuin 

 Sanctum solum jiertinet, qua in arenosis maritimis priedoniinat, gramina Arundinemqne donacem 

 ascendens. 



L. parallel-oblong, rather narrow, shining, and bright greenish-blue. Prothorax, femora, and tibia 

 rufo-ferruginous ; i\\e. first small and very convex, sparingly punctured on the disk and in front, 

 but more closely so (and suddenly constricted) at the hinder margin. Elytra coarsely and 

 regularly punctate-striated. Antenna, tarsi, and the extreme tip of the tibia, black. 

 Var. /3. with the elytra of an altogether obscurer hue, being sometimes almost dull black. 



A most abundant European insect (except in the extreme north), and occurring 

 likewise in Algeria and the Canary Islands. In Madeira it is not very common, 

 nevertheless widely distributed throughout low and intermediate altitudes. In 

 most of the ravines in the Aicinity of Funchal it may be found sparingly dm-ing 

 the spring and stmimer months. In the Ribeiro de Santa Luzia and at the Curral 

 das Romeu-as, however, I have observed it in comparative profusion ; and it has 

 been captured by Professor Heer at the Mount Chm-ch. I have taken it at the 

 Ribeu-o Frio; as also, amongst Avundo donax and a coarse species of grass 

 (growing in the loose sand), behind the beach of Porto Santo,— where the speci- 

 mens {car. /3.) arc usually moreover of an obscurer hue. 



Genus 144. CRIOCERIS. 



Geoffn>y, Lis. des Em: de Paris, i. 237 (176-1). 



Corpus parvum, parallelo-oblongum, sa;pius Isetc coloratum : capite porrecto, pone oculos (subintegros) 

 plus minusve leviter constricto : prothorace elytris angustiore, postice siepius mmus constricto: 

 scuteV.o apice rotundato vel producto (rarissime truncate) : alis amplis. Antenna, instrumenta 

 cibaria et pedes fere ut in Lema, sed unguiculi liberi (ad basin ha\id connati). 



The only constant featui-e which separates Crioceris from Lema lies in the con- 

 struction of its claws,— which are of the ordinary form, not bemg soldered together 

 (as in that genus) at their base. Still, in a general way, it may be lUstinguished, 

 likewise, by its head being somewhat more lengthened, or constricted, posteriorly, 



