INSECTA MADERENSIA. 471 



S. ovate, apterous, black (rarely with a piceous tiuge), less shiuing than the S. minimus, very finely 

 pubescent, and most minutely, closely and delicately punctulated. Prothorax sometimes pices- 

 cent, especially towards the lateral and anterior edges (the former of which are in nearly all 

 instances a little diluted in colouring). Antenna and leffs pale ferruginous. 



The present insect, although not of a very showy description, is one of the most 

 indigenous members of oiu* fauna ; whilst in its apterous and ovate body it is the 

 most anomalous of the Sci/mni here described. In its mode of life moreover it 

 recedes from the rest of the genus with which we have to do, — since it occui-s 

 (not on the foliage of plants and trees, but) in exposed grassy spots beneath stones. 

 In its general contour and texture, it is at first sight strongly suggestive of the 

 Lwinichi, — a deception which is even further carried out by the singularity of its 

 habits, in which it approximates that group very closely. Like most species in 

 which the powers of dissemination are vmusually limited, it is exceedingly local, 

 being found solely, so far as I am aware, on the mountain- slopes of Porto Santo ; 

 and even there I have hitherto only detected it on the single ridge which connects 

 the Pico do CasteUo with the Pico de Eacho, — where, in April of 1848, I met 

 with it in considerable numbers. During two subsequent residences in the island 

 I was unable to procure more, and it must therefore be regarded as one of the 

 rarest of the Madeiran Coleoptera. 



Genus 155. RHYZOBIUS. 



Stephens, ///. Brit. Eiit. iv. 39(3 (1831). 



Cor/JMS parvum, ellipticum, couvexum, pilosum : w/-o//io?-«ce transverse, postice elytrorum vix latitiidine : 

 prostenio, mesosterno eli/tiisqu.e fere ut in Scymno : alis vix amplis. Antenncs longiores quam 

 Scymno, clavatse, articulis primo et secundo (illo prsecipue) robustis (hoc breviore cylindrico), 

 tertio ad octavum gracilibus (tertio elongato, quarto ad octavum subsequalibus), reliquis clavam 

 magnam elongatam gracilem efficientibus (none et decimo ad apicem internum productis, unde- 

 cimo ad externum truncato) . Instrumcnta ciharia et pedes fere ut in Scymno, sed ligula apice 

 leviter emarginata, in parte mediji tenuissime membranacea, et pedes longiores. 



Rhyzobiiis differs from Scymnus in its more elliptical outHne, longer legs, and in 

 the structiu'e of its antennae, — which are considerably less abbreviated than those 

 of that group, and have a slender, triarticulate, and internally serrated club, as 

 well as their first and second joints (instead of being of similar breadth and closely 

 connected together) formed almost exactly as in Coccinella. The third antennal 

 joint however is elongated, as in the true Scymni ; but, on account of the clava 

 being merely /^'/articvdate, the following five (instead of four) are in the present 

 genus subequal. Two species only (namely the common B. litiira, and the disci- 

 macula of Mulsant) have been hitherto recorded, the habits of which (like those of 

 the Coryloj)Md(B) display a closer attachment to the smaller than to the larger 

 plants, — particularly to Monocotylcdonous ones, about the roots and stems of 

 which they are principally to be found. 



