182 



MELOLONTHIDJE. 



Melolontha bipartita, Hart., Geol. Verhdltn. Lanz. und Fuert. 140, 141. 

 Ootoma bipartita, Wall, Cat. Can. Col 195 (1864). 



Habitat Canarienses (Lanz., Fuert., Can., Ten.)., sub stercore lapidi- 

 busque in cuniculis fodiens. 



All the Ootomas hitherto detected are peculiarly Canarian, 

 occurring for the most part in small holes or burrows in the soil, 

 which are excavated either beneath stones or the dung of cattle. 

 The 0. bijpartita is found more particularly in the eastern portion of 

 the Group, becoming gradually scarcer as we approach the west. 

 Thus in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura it is rather common, in Grand 

 Canary decidedly scarcer, and in Teneriffe extremely rare ; whilst 

 in the islands to the westward of Teneriffe it has not yet been 

 observed even to exist. The blackish hue of its head, prothorax and 

 scutellum, whilst its elytra are rufo-castaneous, will, apart from 

 minor differences, at once separate it from the other species here 

 enumerated. 



520. Ootoma fuscipennis. 



Melolontha fuscipennis, Brutte,in Webb etBer. ( Col.) 61, pi. i. f. 1 (183 

 Ootoma fuscipennis, Blanch., loc. cit. 120 (1850). 

 , Woll, Cat. Can. Col. 196 (1864). 



Habitat Canarienses (Fuert., Ten., Gom. 1 ?, Palmat), in locis similibus 

 ac praacedens. 



Widely spread over the Canarian archipelago, but (like the last 

 species) apparently more abundant in the eastern islands than in the 

 western ones. I took it rather commonly in Fuerteventura (beneath 

 the refuse of a camels' stable in the Rio Palmas), and sparingly in 

 TeneriiFe; and I obtained two dead examples in Palma, and the 

 Messrs. Crotch one (even more mutilated still) in Gomera, which I 

 believe are referable to the fuscipennis ; but- they are much too im- 

 perfect to enable me to decide this point for certain. 



521. Ootoma Integra, 



Ootoma Integra, Well., Cat. Can. Col. 197 (1864). 

 Habitat Canarienses (Can.), semel tantum reperta. 



The only example which I have seen of this Ootoma was captured 

 by myself in Grand Canary ; and although its characters, if constant, 

 seem abundantly sufficient to indicate a distinct species, yet I cannot 

 but feel that further material is much required in order to ascertain 

 positively that its features are true and permanent ones. 



