INSECTA MADERENSIA. 505 



and almost immarginate prothorax, unacuminated elytra, and in the structure of 

 its antennae and tibiae, — the former of which (instead of being moniliform at their 

 extremity) are distinctly clavate, with the last four joints almost quadrangular 

 (the terminal one being large and comparatively elongated) ; whilst the latter are 

 nearly glabrous, and without any indication of the two sp\u*s, and scarcely any of 

 the series of minute spines, which are so universal in the present groups. In 

 minor details moreover, there are a few peculiarities which will serve, additionally, 

 to remove it from Blaps, — amongst which the outwardly-excavated and somewhat 

 longer basal articulation of its palpi, the more dilated and securiform apex of its 

 maxillary pair, in conjunction with its rounder and less transverse mentum, and 

 its straightly -truncated ligula, should be especially noticed. 



385. Macrostethus tuberculatus, Woll. (Tab. XI. fig. 8.) 



M. ater minutissime et crebre jjuiictulatus, prothorace ovato basi truncato, tuberculis sublsevibus vix 



elevatis adsperso, elytris nitidis leviter striato-punctatis, interstitiis valde seriatim tuberculatis. 

 Long. Corp. lin. 10. 



Habitat in ins. Desertse Borealis, a Rev''" Dom. Lowe Junio ineunte a.d. 1850 repertus. 



M. elongated and somewbat cylindrical-ovate (being ratber acuminated anteriorly), deep black, closely 

 and most minutely punetulated all over. Head and prothorax nearly opake ; the latter ovate, but 

 truncated at the base (the widest part being a little behind the middle), and uniformly studded 

 with slightly shining, though very obscurely elevated, tubercles. Elytra a good deal more shining 

 than the head and prothorax, and subrugulose ; and, in addition to the smaller punctures (which 

 however are somewhat more distinct than the prothoracic ones), finely striate-punctate, — the 

 interstices having a series of large and considerably raised tubercles down each. Antenna and 

 tarsi somewhat piceous ; the former (which have their apex ferruginous) the paler of the two. 



Apparently of the greatest rarity, the only specimen which I have seen having 

 been presented to me by the Rev. R. T. Lowe, by wliom it was discovered on the 

 Flat Dezerta, or Illieo Chao, during our encampment in that singular little island 

 at the beginning of Jime 1850. It was captured in his tent and under rather 

 curious circumstances, — namely in the act of emerging from beneath his bed, 

 which had been made on the cUy ground. It is unquestionably one of the most 

 remarkable of the Coleopterous members of our fauna, — rendered doubly in- 

 teresting perhaps from the remote rock on which it was taken, and to which it 

 would consequently appear (so far at least as our observations have hitherto gone) 

 to be peculiar. Though I searched diligently in the un mediate vicinity of the spot 

 where it occurred, I did not succeed in procuring more. It approximates a good 

 deal, in general affinity, the Blaps chjpeata of Germar, from Spain and Portugal, 

 — the genus Ccelometopus (subsequently) of Solier, to which it is not impossible 

 indeed that it m.'^y be found to belong ; and especially so, since the tibise there are 

 not only (as here) subglabrous, but have their apical calcarise and spines so 

 diminished in size as to be nearly obsolete, whilst the antennEe are, at the same 



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