534 INSECTA MADERENSIA. 



of the ^\lnd. The same peculiarity is perceptible in the A. instabilis, which is able 

 to retain its hold during the most boisterous weather ; — an apparent proA^ision for 

 tliese insects, ^\-it]iout which they would be scarcely fitted to inhabit the localities 

 assigned to them. 



404. Anthicus instabilis*. 

 A. nitb-ferrugineus subnitidus sat profunde et confertim punctulatus, elytrorum margine lateral!, 

 sutur^ fasci&que postmedia plus minusve obscmnoribus, antennis pedibusque paruiii robustis 

 pallido-ferrugineis, femoribus interdum subpicescentibus. 

 Mas, tibiis posticis versus apicem externum subtriangulariter compresso-dilatatis. 

 Long. coi"]). lin. 1|— 1|. 



AntUcus instabilis, (Hoffm.) Dej. Cat. 217 (1836). 



tibialis, Ciu^is (nee Waltl, 1835), Brit. Ent. 711 (1838). 



mauritaniciis, Lucas, JRev Zool. 116 (1811). 



— instabilis, Schmidt, in Stett. Ent. Zeit. iii. 181 (1812). 



tibialis, La Ferte (sed vid. p. 303), Mon. des Antli. 165 (1818). 



Habitat sub lapidibus in coUinis apricis Maderse Portusque Sancti, ab autumno usque ad ver primum, 

 frcquens. 



A. nifo-ferruginous, slightly shining, closely and rather deeply punctulated, and pubescent. Head 

 small ; and with the eyes large and prominent. Prothurax rather long, and much constricted 

 posteriorly. Elytra with the lateral margin, the suture, and an ill-defined fascia behind the 

 middle, more or less obscurely fuscescent. Legs and antenna a little paler, being pale ferruginous 

 (though with the femora sometimes picescent) . 



Male, with the two hinder tibise flattened and dilated towards their outer apex into a broad and 

 somewhat triangular plate. 



[Obs. Exceedingly variable in colour: sometimes with the apical portion of the elytra, likewise, 

 infuscated ; at others with the sutural cloud evanescent, — the indistinct postmedial fascia being 

 alone dark ; and occasionally even altogether ferruginous.) 



Common both in the south of Madeira and in Porto Santo, particularly during 

 the autvtmnal months. I have not detected it above the altitude of 1500 feet, — 

 its principal range (in the former) being at low elevations in the vicinity of 

 Funclial, Avhcro it is found cither beneath stones or crawUng amongst the short 



* Some slight confusion seems to have arisen in the synonymy of this insect. It appears that the 

 name oi' instabilis was first proposed for it by lloft'manscgg, and that as such it was registered in Dejean's 

 Catalogue in 183G. In 1838 it was characterized (for the tirst time) by Curtis, who, supposing it to be 

 new, published it under the title of A. tibialis, — \v\\mh however had been preoccupied by Waltl, for 

 another species, in 1835. Hence it became necessary tliat Curtis's name should be cancelled ; and it is 

 now, accordingly, universally recognised as the A. instabilis of Hofl'mauscgg, — and was thus quoted by 

 Schmidt in 1842. It was indeed briefly described by M. Lucas in 1811 ; and therefore, in right of 

 priority, his name of mauritaniciis should certainly be accepted. Nevertheless, since it is everj'where 

 known as the A. instabilis, I have preferred retaining it as such, rather than rim the risk of creating con- 

 fusion by the adoption of a fresh title. 



