138 CANARIAN COLEOPTERA. 



aspect, the present insect is more suggestive, at first sight, of a Para- 

 mecosoma than of a Cryptophagus ; and as such it was regarded by 

 Dr. Kraatz, on a superficial examination of it two years ago. Never- 

 theless there can be no question that it is, in reaUty, a true Crypto- 

 phajus, since the hinder feet of its males (almost the only struc- 

 tural character of importance which distinguishes that genus from 

 Paramecosoma) are most conspicuously tetramerous, — of which I 

 have thoroughly convinced myself by mounting the posterior legs of 

 both sexes in balsam, for the microscope. It is, in point of fact, 

 nearly related to the common European C. vini — not only in the 

 shape of its basally-narrowed jDrothorax, but also in its comparatively 

 minute size ; nevertheless it is, on the average, a little smaller still 

 than that species, its prothorax is rather more closely punctured, 

 with its hinder angles more evidently right angles, and its elytra are 

 somewhat more fusiform — being rounder at the sides, or more per- 

 ceptibly narrowed at either extremity. The form of its prothorax 

 will, even alone, at once separate it from all the foregoing Crypto- 

 phagi — being comparatively more attenuated posteriorly and wider 

 in front, with the anterior angles a good deal developed (or obliquely- 

 thickened), and with the lateral margin armed with four or five small, 

 acute, subequal teeth. 



The C. Jiesperius is universal in the sylvan and subsylvan districts 

 of Grand Canary, TenerifFe, Gomera, and Palma. In the first of these 

 I have taken it more particularly throughout the region of El Monte ; 

 in the second, at Taganana, Las Mercedes, La Esperanza, the Agua 

 Garcia, and Souzal ; and in the fourth, about the wooded slopes of the 

 Barranco da Agua and Galga. It was found by Dr. Crotch, also, at 

 Hermigua in Gomera. When in the island of Hierro I captured a 

 single specimen which has its prothoracic denticles obsolete, and its 

 elytra more fusiform, or rounded at the sides ; and I have treated it 

 as a "var.ji" of the present insect, — at the same time giving it a name, 

 in the event of further material proving it hereafter to be specifically 



distinct. 



(Subgenus?) 99. MNIONOMUS. 



Corpus ellipticum, apterum : prothorace subconico, basi bisinuato, 

 angulis posticis subproductis : mesosterno in medio canaHculato : 

 antennis pedihusqne crassis ; tarsis articulo primo breviusculo, an- 

 teriorihus subtus dense pilosis. 



237. Mnionomus ellipticus, n. sp. 

 M. fusco-ferrugineus, convexus, nitidus, pube brevi depressa flavo- 

 albida parce vestitus, punctatus ; prothorace longiusculo, ad latera 



