588 CAXARIAN COLEOPTEKA. 



parum profunde punctata; capite (elongato-subquadi'ato) protho- 

 raceque liuea media laevi (in hoc postice obsolete subelevata) in- 

 structis ; abdomine subopaco densiusqiie cinereo-sericeo ; antennis 

 (breviusculis) pedibusque piceo-testaceis,tarsis clarioribus. — Long. 

 Corp. lin. 1|. 



Lithocharis nigi'itula ?, Erich., Gen. et Spec. Staph. 625 (1839). 

 Habitat Teneriffam, inter lapillos ad marginem paludis cujusdam 

 parvje in " Barranco Santo " juxta urbem Sanctse Crucis capta. 



Judging from the diagnosis, I have little doubt that this small 

 Lithocharis is conspecific with Erichson's L. nigritula from Sicily ; 

 and it may easily be known by its narrow, linear outline, and by its 

 black, slightly shining, and densely but rather coarsely punctured sur- 

 face, by its (elongate-squarish) head and prothorax having each of 

 them (though particularly the latter) a central unpunctured line, and 

 by its antennse and legs (the former of which are rather short) being 

 of a piceo-testaceous hue. If, however, it should prove hereafter to 

 be distinct, I would then propose for it the trivial name of maura. 

 The only two examples which I have seen were taken by myself, 

 from amongst wet shingle at the edges of a small stagnant pool, at 

 the head of the Barranco Santo (close to S*" Cruz) in Teneriffe — in 

 company with the Scopceus trossulus, Fliilonthns teneUus, Anthicus 

 lapidosm, the Perileptus nigritulus, and other Coleoptera of similar 

 (subaquatic) habits. 



901. Litliocharis melanocephala. 



L. angusta, nitida, parce griseo-pubeseens, profundius ac minus dense 

 punctata ; capite elongato-subquadrato, vel piceo-nigro, vel rufo- 

 piceo, vel etiam rufo-ferrugineo ; prothorace testaceo-rufo, linea 

 media paulo laeviore ; elytris piceo-testaceis ; antennis rufo-tes- 

 taceis (interdum articulis intermediis infuscatis) ; pedibus testaceis. 

 — Long. Corp. lin. 1^2. 



Pa^derus melanocephalus, Fah., Ent. Si/st. i. ii. 538 (1792). 

 Lithocliaris melanocephala, Erich., Gen. et Spec. Staph. 614 (1839). 



, WoU., Ins. Mad. 591 (1854). 



, Id., Cat. Mad. Col. 194 (1857). 



Habitat insulas omnes Canarienses, aliquanto vulgaris. 



This common European insect, which is universal in the Madeiran 

 Group, is universal likewise at the Canaries — in the whole seven 

 islands of which I have myself captured it. In Teneriife and Go- 

 mera it was found also by Dr. Crotch. It is rather variable in stature, 

 and exceedingly so in the colour of its head — which is normally black, 

 but very often piceous, and occasionally bright rufo-ferruginous (or 

 scarcely darker than the prothorax). It occurs principally beneath 



