M4 INSECTA MADERENSIA. 



sc. parva humerali, et altera magna rotundata central!) in elytro singiJo positis femorumque 

 posticorum apice nigris, elytris siibstriatis, antennis apicem versus infuscatis. 

 Long. Corp. lin. lf-2. 



Habitat in montibus Maderae, super folia Isoplexidis sceptri, sestate rarior : inter plantks ad Feijaa de 

 Corte crescentes Augusto ineunte a.d. 1850 primus inveni. 



I». elongate, rather depressed and narrow, and nearly opake. Head black. Prothorax testaceous. 

 Elytra pale testaceous, with the suture (except at the extreme apex), a small patch immediately 

 within either shoulder, and a very large rounded one in the centre of the disk of each, black (the 

 sutural band spear-shaped, being expanded and subangulated behind) ; minutely and closely 

 punctured; and substriated, — especially towards the outer disk. Body beneath (except the pro- 

 thorax, which is testaceous) black. Legs (except the apex of the two hinder thighs, which are 

 black), and base of antenna, pale testaceous. Antenna at apex iufuscated. 



One of the most elegant and truly indigenous of aU the Coleopterous insects of 

 these islands ; and confined exclusively, so far as I have hitherto observed, to the 

 scarce and magniticent Isoplexis sceptvinn, — the most singularly beautiful perhaps 

 of all the plants (strictly native) which the Madciran group produces. It was not 

 until my explorations of 1850 that I discovered this grand addition to our entomo- 

 logical fauna ; and indeed, from the remote and almost inaccessible ledges on 

 ^vhich it occm*s, it might well, even though thus conspicuous, escape observation 

 altogether. Happening however to be encamped at the Feijaa de C6rte at the 

 beginning of August of that year (a region in which the Isoplexis is comparatively 

 almndant), I was enabled to examine many clusters of it, and was rewarded with 

 two Coleopterous novelties (the present one and a MeUgethes), as also witli an 

 interesting Capsus, hereafter to be noticed. The Longitarsus appeared to be more 

 attached to ilie foliage than to the flowers, — the wooUy coating of which rendered 

 it easy of capture, notwithstanding its enormous power of bounding when trans- 

 ferred to a moi'c glabrous surface. In other positions I could not detect it in 

 equal abundance ; but, were it practicable to reach the large masses of IsopAexis 

 which stud the perpendicular faces of the rocks in lofty sylvan spots, it would 

 doubtless be obtained in greater numbers : since such however is clearly impos- 

 sible, it must ever remain a rarity to the researches of a naturalist. Apart from 

 its peculiarity of colouring, it recedes from all the members of the present genus 

 with which I am acquainted in having its elytra striate. 



338. Longitarsus Cinerariae, WoU. (Tab. IX. fig. 6.) 



Ii. ovatus valde convexus nitidissinuis ater et fere impunctatus, capitc, prothorace, antennarum basi 



pcdibusque anterioribus rufo-testaceis. 

 Long. corp. lin. 1|-1|. 



Habitat Maderam in floribus Cineraria auritce, Herit. ( — Senecionis Maderensis, DeCand.), praesertirn 

 per regionem sylvaticam inter 3000' et 5000' s. m., ajstate non infrequens. 



