THORICTID^E. 175 



Fam. 29. 



Genus 156. THORICTUS. 

 Gerinar, in Silb. Rev. Ent. ii. 2. 15 (1834). 



499. Thorictus gigas. 



Thorictus gigas, WbU., Ann. Nat. Hist. ix. 439 (1862). 

 , Id., Cat. Can. Col. 184 (1864). 



Habitat Canarienses (Can.), in montibus rarissimus; nidos Formicas 

 pubescentis, Fab., sub lapidibus colens. 



A. gigantic Thorictus which I have observed only on the mountains 

 of Grand Canary, where moreover it is extremely rare, occurring 

 in the nests of a large brown ant, the Formica pubescens, Fab. Al- 

 though perfectly distinct from every species which I have yet seen, 

 it belongs to an African type of form which occurs in Algeria and 

 Abyssinia. 



500. Thorictus Westwoodii. 



Thorictus Westwoodii, Woll, Ins. Mad. 220, tab. v. f. 6 (1854). 

 , Id., Cat. Mad. Col. 78 (1857). 



Habitat Maderenses (Mad., P to S to ), in apricis subinferioribus nidos 

 formicarum colens. 



Apparently peculiar to the Madeiran Group, where it occurs be- 

 neath stones (in, or near, the nests of ants) in sunny spots prin- 

 cipally of a low elevation. It has been observed hitherto in Madeira 

 proper and Porto Santo. 



501. Thorictus canariensis. 



Thorictus canariensis, Wott., Ann. Nat. Hist. ix. 439 (1862). 

 , Id., Cat. Can. Col. 185 (1864). 



Habitat Canarienses (ins. omnes), sub lapidibus in formicarum nidis 

 ab ora maritima usque ad 8000' s. m. ascendens. 



This is the universal Thorictus of the Canarian Group, in the whole 

 seven islands of which it has been taken (more or less commonly), 

 ascending from the sea-level to an altitude of at least 8000 feet. It 

 resides beneath stones, in or near the nests of ants ; and during the 

 early spring it is sometimes abundant. Indeed on one occasion, in 

 the Eio Palmas of Fuerteventura, I believe that I cannot have ex- 

 tracted less than two hundred specimens out of a single nest. 



