INSECTA MADERENSIA. 577 



As already stated, the XanthoUni may be known from the Othii by their dimi- 

 nished bulk and narrower bodies (which have the head much smaller, more 

 straightly truncated at its base, and with fom' al^breviated grooves in front), by 

 then- less elongated and elbowed antennae, their imbricated elytral suture, and by 

 their imdilated anterior feet. They are, also, for the most part, somewhat flatter 

 than the Othii, theii- prothorax has usually two series of impressed points (more or 

 less evident in the different species) on either side of its disk, the punctures of 

 their elytra are generally subseriate, their antennge are more approximated at their 

 insertion, and theii- two hinder legs are shorter and less robust. They are found 

 principally either beneath stones and leaves in moist grassy spots, or amongst mud 

 and wet moss at the margins of streams. 



448. Xantholinus punctnlatus. 

 X. niger nitidus, capite utrinque dense rugoso-punctato, ad basin recte truneato, prothorace puuc- 



torum serie lateral! curvata impresso, elj-tris subsenescentibus versus latera seriatim punctatis, 



antennis brevibus nigricantibus, pedibus rufo-piceis. 

 Long. Corp. lin. 3-3 1. 



Staphylinus punctulatus, Payk. Mon. Staph. Suec. 30 (1789). 



, Fab. Mtt. Syst. i. ii. 528 (1792). 



, Gyll. Ins. Suec. ii. 353 (1801). 



Xantholinus punctulatus, Erich. Gen. et Spec. Staph. 328 (1839). 



Habitat Maderam sylvatieam sub lapidibus, rarior ; in castanetis Sanctae Annffi a.d. 1850 a meipso 

 repertus. 



X. black, and shining. Head and prothorax highly polished ; the former straightly truncated behind, 

 very roughly and closely punctured at the sides (the punctures being large and almost con- 

 fluent), and with the two inner frontal sulci deep and distinct ; the latter vi\i]i a longitudinal row 

 of (in the Madeiran specimens) about five or six punctures on either side of its disk, and with a 

 rather larger number arranged in a curve towards either edge. Elytra with a brassy tinge, and 

 rather coarsely punctured, — the punctm-es being disposed in well-defined rows towards the lateral 

 margins. Antenna short, and more or less black (especially at their base). Legs (except the 

 tarsi, which are paler) piceous, or rufo-piceous. 



Both the present insect and the following one are extremely al)undant tlu'ough- 

 out the whole of Em'ope, and are recorded also in Algeria. In Madeu'a the 

 X. punctnlatus is both scarce and local ; whilst the X. linearis is comparatively 

 common, and would appear to occupy a wider range. The only spot in which I 

 have hitherto observed the former is in the north of the island, — where, in the 

 summer of 1850, I took it sparingly in the chestnut -woods of Santa Anna. 



449. Xantholinus linearis. 



X. subaenescenti-niger nitidus, capite magno subtiliter punctato, ad basin facilius truneato, pro- 



4 E 



