CANARIAN COLEOPTERA. 535 



802. Xenomma muscicola, n. sp. 



X angusto-lineare, infuscato-testaceum, nitidiim, fere impunctatum ; 

 capite subrotundato, convexo, oeulis minutissimis ; prothoraee sub- 

 quadrato, postice paulo rotundato sed vix angustiore ; elytris bre- 

 vissimis ; abdomiiie subparallelo, apicem versus obscuriore ; anten- 

 nis brevibus, fiiscescentibus ; pedibus testaceis. — Long. corp. lin. 1. 



Habitat Canariam Grandem, in regione El Monte captum. 



It is not impossible that this somewhat insignificant little insect 

 may be identical with the Madeiran X. Jiliforme ; nevertheless, as I 

 have no type of that species at present for comparison, I do not think 

 it would be safe to treat it as such. The few examples which I have 

 seen were taken by myself, from beneath moss and fallen leaves, in 

 the region of El Monte in Grand Canary, during the spring of 1858. 



Genus 305. HOMALOTA. 

 Mannerlieim, Brachel. 73 (1831). 



803. Homalota rufofusca, n. sp. 



H. rufo-fusca, subopaca, flavescenti-cinereo-pubescens, minutissime 

 (in capite parcissime) punctulata ; capite rotundato, oeulis parvis ; 

 prothoraee transverso-siibquadrato, postice paulo angustiore et ob- 

 soletissime sed latissime canaliculato ; elytris brevissimis ; antennis 

 ad basin pedibusque testaceis. — Long. corp. lin. 1|. 



Habitat elevates humidos sylvaticos Teneriffge, in lauretis supra 

 Tagananam Maio a.d. 1859 parcissime capta. 



The subopake, reddish-brown surface of this Homalota (to which its 

 somewhat yellowish pubescence imparts a slightly flavescent tinge), 

 combined with its pallid legs, small eyes, and excessively abbreviated 

 elytra, wUl serve to distinguish it. I have observed it only in the 

 sylvan districts of a high elevation in Teneriife — my few specimens 

 having been obtained from the damp laurel-clad mountains above 



Taganana. 



804. Homalota mfobadia, n. sp. 



H. prajcedenti similis, sed minor, paulo nitidior minusque pubeseens, 

 colore omnino rufescentiore ; capite vix magis ovali, oeulis etiam 



pronounce positively ; but, apart from its secondary characters — of most diminu- 

 tive eyes, greatly abbreviated elytra, apterous body, &c. — it seems impossible to 

 amalgamate it either with Mi/rmedonia or Homalota on account of its 5-jointed 

 anterior tarsi ; whilst from Oxypoda the structure of its hinder feet (which have 

 their articulations of subequal length) will alike remove it. At the same time I 

 must express my conviction that there are few details less satisfactory for estab- 

 lishing genera upon than the tarsi of these minute members of the Staphylinidce, 

 which are often so difficult of observation that the highest powers of the micro- 

 scope are apt to leave us in doubt as to the precise number of the joints wliich 

 compose them. 



