INSECTA MADERENSIA. 559 



from the collection of M. Clievrier of Geneva, differing in no respect from the 

 Madeiran ones. It occnrs sparingly, in the dung of cattle, near Funchal ; but 

 does not appear to be very generally distributed throughout the loftier districts. 



Genus 188. ALEOCHARA. 



Gravenhorst, Col. Microjjt. 67 (1802). 



Corpus mediocre vel parvum, plerumqiie fusiforme antice incrassatiim, pamm convexum, pubescens : 

 capite exserto, deflexo : prothorace convexo, postice lato rotundato : alls amplis : abdomine margi- 

 nato, jam parallelo, jam apicem versus attenuate. Antennce ad oculorum marginem iuternum 

 inserts, breves, apicem versus incrassatse, articulis tribus baseos reliquis paulo longioribus (primo 

 crassiusculo, secundo et tertio obconicis). Labrum, mandibula et inaxilla fere ut in Homalota. 

 Pnlpi labiaJes 4-articulati, articulo primo magno cylindrico, reliquis decresccntibus (quarto minu- 

 tissimo). Mentum breve transversum, antice emargiuatum. Ligula brevis lata, apice bifida; 

 paraglossis brevissimis latis. Pedes breviores : tarsis omnibus 5-articulatis ; posticis articulo 

 primo elongato. 



Aleocliara may be distinguished by its anteriorly-incrassated body and defiexed 

 head, by its pentamerous feet, and by its four-jointed labial palpi,— a peculiarity, 

 in which, according to Erichson, it differs from every Coleopterous genus hitherto 

 described. In other respects the parts of the mouth do not materially recede 

 from those of the neighbouring groups. The species are found principally in dung 

 and beneath decaying vegetal:)le substances ; nevertheless some few of them would 

 appear to be carnivorous, residing amongst putrifying animal matter and in bones. 



431. Aleochara Armitagei, WoU. 

 A. fusiformis fusco-nigra dense fulvo-pubescens subnitida, prothorace crebre fequaliter punctulato, 



elytro singulo plaga magna obliqua suflPusa rubescente ornato, pedibus, antennarumque basi et 



apice testaceis. 

 Long. Corp. lin. 2-2|. 



Habitat Maderam, in stercore bovino, testate non infrequens. 



Species ut opinor insulis Madercnsibus revera indigena, et in bonorem amici Rev"^ W. J. Armitage a 

 me ob gratias oblatas denominata. 



A. fusiform, brownish-black, very slightly shining, and densely clothed with a long, decumbent, ful- 

 vescent pubescence. Prothorax and elytra most densely and uniformly punctulated all over ; the 

 latter with a large, oblique, more or less suffused dash on each, extending almost from either 

 sutural angle to the shoulder, reddish, or rufescent. Antenrue at base and apex, and the legs, 

 testaceous. 



The present Aleochara, which I have dedicated to my friend, and companion in 

 travel, the Rev. "VV. J. Armitage (whose valuable assistance during two sojourns in 

 Madeira I have already had occasion to record), may be easily known by its 



