INSECTA MADERENSIA. 453 



tion, which would seem to be almost sufficient to isolate it even generically), are 

 of themselves more than enough at once to identify it. It is exceedingly local, 

 and confined, so far as I have hitherto observed, to the dense forest districts of the 

 north, — occurring beneath the trees (amongst rank grass and fern) in remote spots 

 of intermediate altitudes. During my encampment in the region of the Lombo dos 

 Pecegueu'os, in July 1850, I captvired it in considerable profusion,— especially 

 amongst the thickset and nearly impenetrable groves of Folhado, and where the 

 moisture was most excessive. Tlu-oughout the whole tract Ijetween the Kibeiro 

 do Inferno and the Ribeii'o de Joao Delgada it may be said to abound,— but pro- 

 bably diiring the summer months only,— since a great number of the specimens 

 were immature in July, as though theu- imago period had but just commenced. 



Fam.41. CHKYSOMELID^. 



Genus 149. MNIOPHILOSOMA*, TfW. (Tab. IX. fig. 8.) 



Corpus minutum, suborbiculato-ovatum, valde coiivexum, politissimum, glaben-imum et fere impunc- 

 tatum : capite deflexo ; oculis subrotundatis : prothorace transverse, postice lato elytris arete 

 applicato : sculello parvo triangulari : eli/tris ad apicem conjuuctim acuminatis : alis obsoletis. 

 Antenna (IX. 8 a) leviter clavata;, inter ociilos inserts sed basi baud approximatse, artieulis primo 

 et seeundo robustis, illo elongato subclavato, tertio ad sextum gracilibus longitudine leviter 

 decrescentibus, rebquis latitudine paulatim crescentibus (nono, decimo et imdecimo clavam minus 

 abruptam efficientibus, undecimo elongato-ovato ad apicem externum oblique truncate) . Labrum 

 (IX. 8 b) amplissimum porrectum subcoriaceum, antice profunde bilobum. Mandibula (IX. 8 c) 

 magnffi cornese lata, apice fortiter dentatte. Maxilla (IX. 8 d) biloba; membranacese, lobis 

 latiusculis subfequalibus apice pubescentibus {externa vix palpitbrmi). Falpi subfiliformes ; 

 maxillares articulo primo parvo, seeundo et tertio longioribus crassioribus subwqualibus, ultimo 

 subfusiformi-conico : labiates (IX. 8 e) crassi, artieulis primo et seeundo latitudine subsequalibus 

 (lioc paulo longiore), ultimo angustiore subconico. Mentum subquadrato-transversura, apice 

 inteo-rum. Liffula (nisi fallor) baud visibilis. Pedes longiusculi : femorihus posticis baud in'cras- 

 satis : iibiis simplicibus, ad apicem muticis : tarsis antevioribus in mare (IX. 8/) articulo primo 

 magno dilatato subcordato, posticis in utroque sexu articulo primo leviter elongato. 



A Mniophila (genus Coleopterorum), et o-co/aa corpus. 



The curious little insect from which the above characters have been compiled, 

 and which bears a certain prima facie resemblance, as abeady mentioned {vid. 

 p. 417), to stunted female specimens of Xenorchestes, is very nearly akin to the 

 European IlniopUla, though, at the same time, certainly distinct from it,— since 

 it not only wants the leaping propensities (and therefore the incrassated posterior 

 femora) which are there indicated, but presents likewise many obsciu-er differences 



* Genus Mniopliili formam simulans et ei afimitate proximum, sed tarsorum masculorum articulo 

 basilari valde dilatato, uecuon antennarum pedumque posticormn structura et babitu baud saltatorio 

 certe distinctum videtur. 



