( 277 ) 



XXI. Descriptions of new genera and species of Tene- 

 brionidffi from the Island of Madagascar. By 

 FiiEDK. Bates. 



[Read November 5th, 1879.] 



During the past few years some extensive collections, 

 abonnding in novelties, have been received from the 

 Island of Madagascar. Of the new TenehrionidcB, two 

 species have been described by C. O. Waterhouse in 

 " Cistula Entomologica," Vol. 2, pt. xx. p. 365 ; and 

 others have been briefly characterized by Fairmaire in 

 the "Bull. Soc. Ent. de France, 1875," pp. xxxiii, xxxiv, 

 and in " Petites Nouvelles Entomologiques," No. 173, 

 June 1, 1877, p. 137. 



In the following paper I have more fully described 

 these latter, as well as all the remaining new species, the 

 whole of which are contained in my own collection. 



The collections formed at Antananarivo and Fiana- 

 rantsoa are especially rich in the curious genus Dolicho- 

 derus, the number of species of which are here raised 

 from six to seventeen. I have found it necessary to gene- 

 rically separate the Madagascar species that have hitherto 

 been placed in the genus Camaria, which genus will, 

 I believe, be found to be restricted to the New World. 



I have also found it necessary to detach several mem- 

 bers from the genus Tetraphyllus, and erect them into 

 new genera. 



It is much to be deplored that the practices of some 

 describers are still very loose in regard to genera. Species 

 from the most diverse parts of the globe are, on the 

 assumption of mere superficial resemblance, thrown into 

 genera to which they do not belong. Would they but 

 give a little more time to an examination of generic 

 characters, these errors would be avoided. 



It Avill at once be seen how such careless work tends to 

 vitiate all generalizations based on the geographical dis- 

 tribution of genera. It may, I think, ahvays be regarded 

 as a safe practice to endeavoiu- to adjust generic limits to 

 geographical haljitats. 



TRANS. ENT. SOC. 1879. — FART IV. (dEC.) 



