from the Island of Ascension. 305 



Cerandria cornuta, Lucas, Col. de l'Al2;erie, 345 (1849). 

 , Woll., Ins. Mad. 4!J0 (1854). 



One specimen of this universally imported insect was amongst 

 Mr. Bewicke's captures at Ascension. It is perfectly unimport- 

 ant, being of course naturalized (if indeed truly naturalized at 

 all) through the medium of commerce. 



Genus Alpiiitobius. 

 Stephens, 111. Brit. Ent. v. 11 (183.2). 



9. Alpldtobius diaperinus, Kugel. 



Tenebrio diaperinus, Kugel., in Panz. Fna Ins. Germ. 37. 16 (179/). 

 Alphitobius mauritanicus, Steph. [nee Fab.1, 111. Brit. Ent. v. 11 (1832), 



diaperinus, WolL, Ins. Mad. 498 (1854). 



, WolL, Cat. Mad. Col. 154 (1857). 



The present insect and the following one are likewise, of course, 

 importations into Ascension, being both of them species univer- 

 sally diffused through the medium of commerce. They have a 

 slight interest, however, attached to them in this instance, on 

 account of the singular fact communicated by Mr. Bewicke, that 

 they were " taken abundantly [not, as we should have expected, 

 in houses and amongst merchandise, but] in the dung of sea- 

 birds, miles from habitable parts," — which is certainly a very 

 remarkable habitat for these common Alphitobii ! 



10. Alpldtobius manritanicus, Fab. 



Tenehrio mauritanictis, Fab. [nee Linn. 17^7], Ent. Syst. i. 113 (1792). 



Fagi, Panz., Fna Ins. Germ. 61. 3 (1799). 



Alphitobius picipes, Stepli., 111. Brit. Ent. v. 11 (1833). 

 Heterophaga mauritanica, Lucas, Col. de I'Algerie, 341 (1849). 



At Madeira both of these widely-imported Alphitobii have 

 become tolerably common ; but, as yet, I have observed only the 

 A. diaperinus at the Canaries. ]\I. Lucas states that the present 

 insect is abundant in Algeria U7ider stones ; so that it is possible 

 that it may be more easily naturalized in the open country than 

 its ally, — though it would appear, from Mr. Bewicke^s account, 

 that both species indicate at Ascension this capability for self- 

 establishment in aperto. 



Fam. Staphylinidae. 



Genus Philonthus, 



(Leach) Steph., 111. Brit. Ent. v. 226 (1832). 



11. Philonthus scybalarius, Nordm, 



Philonthus scybalarius, Nordm., Sj-mbol. 94 (1838). 



varians, var. b, Eiichs., Gen. et Spec, Staph. 470 (1839). 



, Woll., Ins. Mad. 583 (1854). 



scybalarius, Kraatz, Nat, der Ins. Deutsch. ii. 601 (1857). 



As already stated, three individuals of the common European 



