INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. Xlll 



It will be seen, on reference, that the total number of species which 

 (so far as I am able to ascertain) have occurred up to the present 

 time in the whole of these Atlantic islands combined is exactly 1449. 

 After a careful computation, I find that (of these 1449 species) only 

 215 have not been taken by myself in some part or other of the 

 three Groups ; whilst those which I believe to have been captured by 

 myself alone (or which have escaped the united researches of the 

 various other naturalists who have collected in different portions of 

 the archipelago) amount to 325 *. The 1449 species are distributed 

 as follows : 



Madeiras 661 



Salvages 24 



Canaries 1007 



If the species enumerated in this volume amount (as just stated) 

 to 1449, the number of genera into which they fall I have considered 

 to be 423. Of the 1449 species, I believe that 935 were first described 

 by myself (in different publications and papers), as well as 82 of 

 the 423 genera. Nevertheless, although this be the case, it does not 

 follow that the whole of the species and groups which I happen to 

 have been the first to characterize are necessarily confined to the 

 islands (though it is unquestionably true that the greater portion of 

 them appear to be in that predicament) ; for many have since been 

 detected in Mediterranean latitudes t. 



As regards the species which are exclusively Atlantic (a somewhat 

 difficult point to ascertain, except in the case of such i^ra-indigenous 



floricola, W. ; Criocephalus pinetorum, W. ; Longitarsus consanguineus, W., and 

 fractus, W. ; Othius vestitus, W. ; Platystethus fossor, W. ; and Conosoma livi- 

 dum, Er.? 



* I need scarcely add that, next to myself, the Messrs. Crotch secured by far 

 the greatest number of species which nobody else has hitherto met with in those 

 islands namely, 102. The next in order is the late Mr. Bewicke, to whose 

 exertions belong 22. Thirdly follow MM. Webb and Berthelot (concerning 

 many of whose supposed captures, however, I consider that further evidence is 

 required) and the Barao do Castello de Paiva, who number 11. Then comes the 

 late Dr. Heineken, who obtained 8 (though most of them are, like those of MM. 

 Webb and Berthelot, extremely doubtful as regards habitat). Then succeed 

 Messrs. Leacock and Park, to each of whom pertain 5 which no other collector 

 has yet fallen in with. Mr. Gray is answerable for 4 ; Senhor Moniz, and Dr. C. 

 Wolff for 3 ; M. de la Perraudiere for 2 ; and M. Hartung, Mr. J. J. Koss, 

 Mr. F. A. Anderson, and Mrs. Phelps for 1. Those of MM. Webb and Berthelot 

 and Dr. Heineken, which alone contain species of unsatisfactory habitats, will 

 be noticed more particularly further on. 



t Only one new genus namely Ptinodes has been proposed in the present 

 Catalogue, though the names of two others (Nitpus and Eremotes) have been 

 changed ; but no less than 75 species, now for the first time defined, have been 

 established in its Appendix. Of these 75 novelties, 57 were found by the Messrs. 

 Croteh. 



