INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. XXV11 



Anomalous Forms. Although a considerable majority of the forms 

 which are preeminently significant, or characteristic of this Atlantic 

 province, are members of largely developed groups (such as Lapa- 

 rocerus, Atlantis, Hegeter, Helops, Acalles, and Tarphius), the most 

 anomalous ones, as indeed might be anticipated, are not usually 

 referable to extensive genera being far oftener single species, for 

 the reception of each of which a separate genus has been founded. 

 Arranged according to the amount of their peculiarity, or departure 

 from the nearest known types to which they respectively approxi- 

 mate, I may call attention to the following 15 which display unusual 

 eccentricity of structure ; and I have added, after each, the names 

 of the families to which they severally belong : Onycholips (Curcu- 

 lionida?), Aylycyderes (Anthribidae ?), CossypTiodes (Colydiadse ?), 

 Triotemnus (Tomicidae), Stereus (Anisotomidae), Euxestus (Erotylidoa), 

 Xenonyclius (Histeridte), Xenorchestes (Anthribidas), Xenoscelis (Cu- 

 eujidao), Lipommata, Pentarthrum, Torneuma, and Echinosoma (Cur- 

 eulionida3), Casopus (Ptinida?), and Pseudanemia (Trachyscelida3). 



Blind Species. Considering that blind insects are decidedly scarce 

 in the order Coleoptera, we may be said to have a rather large 

 number of them in these Atlantic islands, no less than 22 species 

 having been detected, the eyes of which are either totally absent or 

 else so rudimentary and imperfect that they must be practically 

 useless. The genera in which the organs of sight appear to me to 

 be absolutely non-existent are Anommatus, TJwrictust (represented 

 by four species), Lipommata, Onycholips, and Torneuma ; wliilst 

 those in which they are exceedingly abortive, or nearly obsolete, are 

 Cossyphodes, Cholovocera, Xenonychus, Metophthalmus (5 species), 

 Pentatertinus, Mesoxenus (2 species), Pselaphus palpiger, and Ache- 

 nium subccecum. 



Ants'-nest Species. So far as observed hitherto, the Coleoptera 

 which are associated normally with Ants do not appear to be very 

 numerous in these island-Groups ; but this may be partly due to the 

 nests of the latter not having been sufficiently examined, and at the 

 proper seasons of the year. The principal ones are the four Thoricti, 

 Cossyphodes, and Sunius formicarum ; but it is likely that many of 

 the smaller species enumerated in the present volume may, in reality, 

 be more abundant in such situations than elsewhere ; and we may 

 expect, also, that the hitherto unique Cholovocera Maderce will be 

 found eventually to be of myrmeeophilous habits. 



