154 



LATRIDIAD, 



A European Latridius which occurs, very locally, both at the 

 Madeiras and Canaries. Though probably if searched for in the right 

 situations (beneath the refuse, around the base of hay-stacks), it 

 would be found to be pretty general, as yet it has been observed 

 only in Madeira proper, and in Lanzarote of the Canarian Group. 



Genus 133. METOPHTHALMUS. 

 Wollaston, Ins. Mad. 192 (1854). 



439. Metophthalmus asperatus. 



Metophthalmus asperatus, Wott., Ins. Mad. 193, tab. iv. f. 4 (1854). 



, Id., Cat. Mad. Col. 67 (1857). 



, Id., Append, huj. op. 25. 



Habitat Maderenses (Mad.}, sub cortice arido laxo necnon inter lig- 

 num antiquum pulverulentum in sylvaticis intermediis occurrens. 



Found in the sylvan districts of Madeira proper, where it occurs 

 amongst dry rotten wood, and under mouldy bark, at intermediate 

 altitudes. In such situations it appears to feed upon some kind of 

 minute Cryptogam, or perhaps a Thallus, with the white particles of 

 which it is often (particularly on the underside) densely powdered*. 



440. Metophthalmus ferruginous. 



Metophthalmus ferrugineu?, Wott., Append, huj. op. z6. 

 Habitat Canarienses (Ifwrro), a DD. Crotch sat copiose repertus. 



Captured abundantly by the Messrs. Crotch in Hierro, the most 

 western island of the Canarian Group, where it would seem to re- 

 present the M, encaustus of Teneriffe and Gomera. 



441. Metophthalmus encaustus. 



Metophthalmus encaustus, Woll. } Append, huj. op. ^6. 



Habitat Canarienses (Ten., Gom.}, inter lignum antiquum et sub foliis 

 aridis dejectis degens. 



Likewise a Canarian species, occurring in the sylvan districts of 

 Teneriffe and Gomera, in the latter of which the Messrs. Crotch 

 lately met with it abundantly, by sifting dead leaves and other dry 

 refuse. 



* Specimens of the Mould amongst which I captured a profusion of the M. 

 asperatus, in the dry tinder-like wood of an old Til-tree at the Ribeiro Frio, were 

 submitted to the Rev. M. J. Berkeley, who identified it with the Rhinotrichum 

 IMoxhami, Berk. 



