534 Mr. T. Yernon Wollaston on the 



fossorial. The A. carinulata, which (as just stated) is 

 the type of the genus, was detected by M. Raymond in 

 Sardinia. 



35. LIPOMMATA (Wollaston, Cat. Mad. Col. 100. 1857). 

 In the relative length and shape of its (nevertheless 

 thicker) rostrum, which (instead of being quite parallel) is 

 rather contracted in the middle, as well as in its total 

 freedom from eyes, its sparingly pilose surface, obsolete 

 scutellum, and subfossorial mode of life, Lipommata has 

 manifestly more in common (despite its comparatively large, 

 convex, Phloeophagits-[ik.Q body) with Raymondionymus 

 and Alaocyba of the preceding section (in which neverthe- 

 less the funiculus is 6-jointed, the feet quadriarticulate, 

 and the tibial hook absent) than Cotaster has ; and there- 

 fore I have given it the first place in the Cossonideous 

 division of the family ; though at the same time it is true 

 that in Cotaster the greatly abbreviated metasternum, un- 

 even prothorax, and prim d facie aspect would indicate a 

 considerable affinity with those two genera. In reality, 

 however, I believe that Lipommata is still more closely 

 connected with the (equally subfossorial) Pentatemnus , of 

 the Pent artlir ides, which it greatly resembles, both in 

 appearance and habits ; but, not to mention other points 

 of dissimilarity, that genus has the funiculus only 5- 

 (instead of 7-) articulate, and the eyes (instead of being, 

 as in Lipommata, altogether wanting) merely obsolete. At 

 first sight, indeed, Lipommata might almost be regarded 

 as a blind Phloeophagus, so greatly does its ovate outline, 

 obsolete scutellum, and convex, pilose surface, agree with 

 certain members of that group : nevertheless its total free- 

 dom from eyes, its minutely asperated, basally-subemar- 

 ginate elytra (the shoulders of which are, consequently, 

 somewhat unusually porrect), and its rather differently- 

 developed tibiae, will of themselves at once separate it from 

 the PhlcBophagi. The single exponent of it which has 

 hitherto been brought to light seems to possess the same 

 sand-infesting propensities as Pentatemnus and Onycho lips; 

 it having been detected by myself in the Madeiran archi- 

 pelago, where it occurs about the roots of certain plants 

 (often at a considerable depth beneath the surface), on the 

 sandy slopes behind the sea-beach, in the island of Porto 

 Santo. It is the only true member, so far as I am aware, 

 of the subfamily Cossonides, in which the organs of sight 

 are completely wanting. 



