Mr. T. V. Wollaston on the Coleoptera of St. Helena. 35 



The two examples from which the above diagnosis has 

 been compiled were taken in St. Helena by Mr. Melliss ; but 

 whether the species has been naturalized accidentally from 

 America, and occurs only about the houses and cultivated 

 spots, or whether it may have all the appearance in situ of 

 being truly indigenous, my ignorance of the circumstances 

 under which the specimens were captured forbids me to con- 

 jectm*e. 



Fam. 27. Mordellidae. 



Genus 49. Mordella. 



Linnseus, Syst. Nat. edit. i. 420 (1758). 



73. Mordella Mellissiana, n. sp. 



M. angusto-elliiitica, supra arcuata, rufo-brunnea (rarius nigro- 

 brunuea) et pube fiilvescente valde demissa dense sericata ; capite 

 subsemicirculari, deflexo, oculis magnis ; prothoraco subconico, 

 basi bisiuuato ; scutello minuto ; elytris regulariter versus apicem 

 attenuatis, apice singulatim rotundatis, baud striatis ; pygidio in 

 mucrouem elongatum producto ; antennis pedibusque anterioribus 

 paulo clarioribus. 



Long. Corp. lin. 2-3. 



The uniformly reddish-brown surface of this rather large 

 Mordella^ which is densely clothed with a very decumbent, 

 yellowish, or fulvescent silken pubescence, must serve to dis- 

 tinguish it. The strong mucro into which its pygidium is 

 produced, although merely a generic character, will addition- 

 ally separate it from everything else with which we have to 

 do in the St.-Helena catalogue. The few examples which 

 have come under my notice were captured by Mr. Melliss, 

 after whom it gives me much pleasure to name the species. 



Fam. 28. Staphylinidae. 



Genus 50. Creophilus. 



(Kirby) Steph., 111. Brit. Ent. v. 202 (1832), 



74. Creophilus maxillostis*. 



Staphylinus maxiUoms, Linn., Syst. Nat. 421 ((1758). 



, WoU., Cat. Mad. Col. 188 (1857). 



Creophilus maxillosus, Id., Col. All. 487 (1865). 



A single example of the common European C. maxillosus is 

 amongst Mr. Melliss's collectanea from St. Helena ; and there 

 cannot be the slightest doubt, therefore, that the species has 



3* 



