Mr. J. O. Westwood on a new Sit'epsipterous Insect. 173 



XXXVI. Description of a new Strepsipterous Insect re- 

 cently discovered in the Island of Mauritius. By J. O. 

 Westwood, F.L.S., ^-c. 



[Read May 4, 18.35.] 



Genus Elenchus, Curt. 



Species El. Templetonii, Westw. Plate XVII. fig. 15. 



Fuscus, thorace valde gibboso, oculis magnis nigris, segmentis ab- 

 dominalibus constrictis, antennarum articulo 5to subclavato et in 

 medio subangustato, articulum referente ; elytris clavatis nigri- 

 cantibus versus apicem ; alis latissimis paUidis fuscescentibus, nervis 

 obscurioribus ; tarsis ut in El. Walkeri, Curt, formatis ; pedibus an- 

 tennisque pube tenuissima indutis. 



Long. Corp. ^lin. ; expans. alarum fere lin. 1. 



Habitat in Insula Mauritii. 



This is by far the most minute species of this anomalous order of 

 insects hitherto discovered ; Elenchus tenuicornis {Walkeri}) far ex- 

 ceeding it in size, and differing from it in the darker colour of the 

 body as well as in the tint of the wings, which is much less sooty 

 than in that species. 



Several specimens of it were captured by Robert Templeton, Esq., 

 one of our most indefatigable entomologists, during the course of 

 last August (1834) in the Island of Mauritius. I have accordingly 

 dedicated it with his name as a slight return for the many kind- 

 nesses which I have received at his hands. 



The existence of an insect like the present in a region where, 

 from its peculiar geographical situation, very different kinds of in- 

 sects might naturally be expected to be discovered from those found 

 in our own country, is certainly singular, and at the same time 

 highly interesting, and this is rendered the more peculiar by the 

 limited number of Diplopterous and Melliferous insects existing in 

 the Island. 



At a former meeting of this Society * I took occasion to read an 

 extract from a letter from Mr. Templeton relative to the capture of 

 a specimen of the Elenchus tenuicornis in the nest of a Bombus in 

 Ireland. Since his return from the Mauritius he has been so kind 



* Vide Jouiiial of Proceedings, p. xxxix. 



