INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. XV 



would seem to be peculiar to the province of which the several islands 

 are detached parts. 



If we turn to the tabular list given at the end of this volume, it 

 is interesting to remark that the larger Sections into which the 

 Coleoptera are usually supposed to be subdivided retain pretty much 

 the same relative proportions (inter se) in the Madeiras and Canaries. 

 Thus, in both instances, the Rhynchophora (or weevils) take the lead, 

 whilst the Eucerata (or Longicorns) occupy the lowest place, and the 

 Hydradephaga (or water-beetles) nearly the lowest. The other 

 great Divisions (nine in number) change places a little in the two 

 Groups ; but the alteration is very slight and unimportant, and leads 

 to no general results worth taking into account. But the wonderful 

 prevalence of the Curculionids in all the islands is a salient fact ; 

 whilst the extreme scarcity of the Cerambicidce of which I consider 

 that only ten exponents which are unquestionably indigenous have 

 yet been brought to light, though (including those which are natur- 

 alized) 22 have been admitted into the present Catalogue is equally 

 remarkable. This being the case, there is little to be said concerning 

 the difference presented by the relative proportions of the primary 

 Groups of the Coleoptera in the Madeiras and Canaries respectively 

 seeing that in both clusters they follow each other in nearly the 

 same order ; and therefore I need not occupy space by the insertion 

 of two separate lists, compiled to show this at a glance. But the 

 annexed Table will indicate the numerical development of the dif- 

 ferent Sections in the entire archipelago : 



Rhynchophora 282 



Necrophaga 219 



Brachelytra 215 



Geodephaga 188 



Heterotnera 172 



Priocerata 135 



Phytopha-ga 64 



Cordylocerata 64 



Pseudotrimera 30 



Philhydrida 29 



Hydradephaga 29 



Eucerata 22 



1449 



After what has just been said concerning the very great relative 

 correspondence (in numerical development) of the 12 primary Sections 

 of the Coleoptera in the Madeiras and Canaries respectively, we should 



