CANARIAN COLEOPTERA. 377 



This common insect, which is universal throughout Europe, and 

 which occurs also in Madeira, and is recorded by M. Morelet at the 

 Azores, is by no means abundant at the Canaries — where (as in Ma- 

 deira) it may very probably have been introduced from more north- 

 ern latitudes. I have, however, taken it about Las Palmas in Grand 

 Canary, around Orotava, ifec. in Teneriffe, and in Palma. From Tene- 

 rifFe it has likewise been communicated by Dr. Crotch and the Barao 

 do Castello de Paiva*. 



576. Sitones hunieralis. 



Sitona hunieralis {Kbt/), Stoph., III. Bnt. Ent. iv. 138 (1831). 

 Sitones proniptus, Schon., Gen. et Spec. Cure. ii. 113 (1834). 

 Sitona hunieralis, WolL, Ins. Mad. 407 (1854). 

 , Id., Cat. Mad. Col. 120 (1857). 



Habitat ins. omnes Canaricnses, passim, praesertira in aridis calcariis. 



* Evidently akin to the <S'. lineafus is a reputed Teneriffan species, which I 

 would briefly describe as follows : — 



Sitones setuliferus. 

 8. oblongus, niger, squamis einereo-albidis densissime teetus setulisquo brevissi- 



mis adspersus ; capite prothoraceque ad latera obsolete suboehraceo-tinctis, illo 



oculis oblongo-rotundatis, hoc linea media albidiore ornato ; elytris leviter 



jjuiictato-striatis, interstitio quarto per discum posticum ochraceo-tiucto ; pe- 



dibus clarioribus, albo-squamosis. — Long. corp. lin. 2^. 



Sitones setidiferus, Schon., Gen. et Spec. Cure. vi. 273 (1840). 



Habitat (sec. Dom. Chevrolat) in Teneriffa, milii non obvius. 



The above diagnosis has been compded from a unique specimen wliich M. 

 Chevrolat has been kind enough to lend me, and wliich is the actual type described 

 in Sehonlierr's work. It is somewhat singidar that I have met with no other ex- 

 ample of the species either amongst the enormous amoimt of material amassed 

 by myself in these islands, or in the smaller collections formed by others ; and I 

 cannot but feel a little doubtful, therefore, whether some mistake may not have 

 arisen as to its habitat — more particularly since another Curculionid, likewise 

 registered as Teneriffan, from the collection of M. Chevrolat, namely the Cata- 

 ononus cribrarius, and wliich is so large and conspicuous that it seems scarcely 

 possible that it should have escaped our combined observations (and which, I may 

 further add, has nothing in common with any of the known Canariau types), is 

 in exactly the same predicament. My impression is that both of them may have 

 come from some other country, and may perhaps have been accidentally mixed up 

 afterwards with insects from Teneriffe. Nevertheless since theii- published habitat 

 cannot be disallowed until the S2)ecies have been redetectcd elsewhere, and since it 

 is of course possible that they may, after all, be tridy Canariau, I have thought it 

 desirable to include their diagnoses, at any rate as foot-notes, in tliis Catalogue, 

 though I cannot without fin'ther evidence admit them into the body of the work. 



Judging from the specimen before me, the S. setidiferus is of about the size of the 

 common lineatus, but is much more densely clotliect with robust cinereous-white 

 scales, and closely besprinkled with coarser, but very abbreviated, seta; ; its eyes 

 are a trifle smaller and less roiuided ; its prothorax has a most distinct white line 

 down the centre ; and its elytra are scarcely ornamented with longitudinal lines. 

 Their third interstice, however, is curiously (though obsciu'ely) ocJiraceous down 

 the hinder disc of each elytron — a colour which is likewise faintly expressed about 

 the shoulders, as also along either side of the head and prothorax. Altogether it 

 appears to me as though it might be a small and rather highly-coloui-ed variety 

 of a species which I have received from Dr. Schaum mider the name of <S'. alter- 

 nans ; though, with only a solitary example (of both) to judge fi-om, it is of course 

 impossible to say this for certain. 



