CANARIAN COLEOPTEEA. 595 



apex, and also slightly bent downwards, following the curvatiu'e of 

 the i)ronotum (instead of being raised or porrect), and therefore more 

 closely applied against the head. This curious arrangement causes 

 the horn-like appendage of the pronotum to press against, and ^9ro- 

 tect, the head (as it were with a helmet) — a circumstance which has 

 suggested the trivial name of the species. In less important details, 

 the B. gcdeatus is narrower and more cylindric, and of an altogether 

 darker hue, than the conmtissimus, its eyes, although equally pro- 

 minent, are smaller, and its elytra and limbs are shorter. It is quite 

 as scarce as either of the preceding species — the only three examples 

 which I have seen having been captured by myself, during March 

 1859, at the Salinas, in the north of Lanzarote. 



Genus 333. PLATYSTETHUS. 



Mannerheim, Brachel. 4G [script. PlaUjsthetus] (1831). 



913. Platystetlius cornutus. 



Oxytelus cornutus, Gnu:, Col. Micropf. 109 (1802). 

 Platysthetus cornutus, Stcph., III. Brit. Ent. v. 311 (1832). 



, Erich., Gen. et Spec. Staph. 782 (1839). 



■ •, Kraatz, Nat. der Ins. Deittsch. ii. 841 (1857). 



Habitat Lanzarotam, Fuerteventuram, Teneriffam et Gomeram, in 

 lutosis, passim. 



This common European insect, which occurs rarely at Madeira, we 

 may be pretty sure is universal at the Canaries. Hitherto, however, 

 I have observed it only in Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, TenerifFe, and 

 Gomera ; and it was taken in Fuerteventura and Gomera by Mr. Gray, 

 and in TenerifFe and Gomera by Dr. Crotch. It is found principally 

 in muddy spots at low and intermediate elevations. My Teneriffan 

 specimens are chiefly from the vicinity of S'" Cruz, the Puerto Oro- 

 tava, and Souzal. 



914. Platystethus fossor. 



P. cornuto minor ac nitidior (sc. nitidissimus, nee alutaceus), parcius 

 (tamcn argute) punctulatus, elytris minus testaceis (sc. vel nigris, 

 vel plus minus picescentioribus), antennai'um articulo ultimo lon- 

 gioro, magis oblongo pedibusque subpallidioribus (sensim minus 

 piceis). 



Mas capite utrinque supra oculos sulculis duobus impresso necnon 

 apice spinula acutissimii aciculiformi porrecta armato ; abdominis 

 segmento septimo subtus in mcfho late impresso (impressione scuti- 

 formi, postice ad utrumque latus carina obliqua brevi, vel potius 

 dente elongate, terminata) necnon postice utrinque inter carinam 

 et latus quasi biinciso (denticulum alterum oliHquum efformante). 



Foem. capite baud (vel obsoletissime) sulcato, necnon ai)ice inarmato: 



2q 2 



