CETONIAD^E. 185 



Genus 164. ORYCTES. 

 Illiger, Kdf. Preuss. 11 (1798). 



527. Oryctes prolixus. 



Scarabfeus nasicornis, Bridle [nee L.~], in Webb et Ber. (Col.} 60 (1838). 

 Oryctes prolixus, Woll, Cat. Can. Col 202 (1864). 



Habitat Canarienses {Ten., Gom., Hierro), rarior. Radices truncosque 

 emortuos Euphorbias piseatorice sub terra edere apud oculatissi- 

 mum G. R. Crotch dicitur. 



Sparingly distributed over the central and western islands of the 

 Canarian Group, to which it seems to be peculiar having been 

 captured by myself in Teneriffe and Hierro, and by the Rev. R. T. 

 Lowe and the Messrs. Crotch in Gomera. Although much allied to 

 the European 0. grypus, I believe nevertheless that the features which 

 distinguish it therefrom are truly specific ones ; and this is rendered 

 all the more probable from the singularity of its habits, concerning 

 which I received an interesting communication from Mr. G. R. Crotch 

 during his late sojourn in Gomera. According to his report, it would 

 appear to feed on the roots (and underground portions of the stems) 

 of the Euphorbia piscatoria a plant eminently characteristic of 

 these Atlantic islands. Mr. Crotch states that, in one instance, on 

 pulling up a dead shrub of the piscatoria, he found "a female Oryctes 

 and some 20 or 30 larvae." We may therefore, perhaps, expect to 

 meet with it throughout the Eiqihorbia-regions generally. 



Fam. 35. CETONIAD^J. 



Genus 165. EPICOMETIS. 



Burmeister, Handb. der Ent. iii. 434 (1842). 



528. Epicometis squalida. 



Scarabaeus squalidus, Linn., Syst. Nat. i. ii. 556 (1767). 

 Cetonia crinita, Char p., Horee Ent. 213 (1825). 



hirta, Bridle [nee Fab.], in Webb et Berth. (Col.} 62 (1838); 



Tropinota Reyi, Muls., Lamell. de France, 575 (1842). 

 Epicometis squalida, Woll., Cat. Can. Col. 203 (1864). 



Habitat Canarienses (ins. omnes), ad flores vulgaris. 



A Mediterranean insect which is quite universal throughout the 

 Canarian archipelago, in the whole seven islands of which I have 

 myself captured it. It occurs principally at intermediate elevations, 

 and often abounds on the flowers -of the Asphodelus fistulosus, as 

 well as on those of Thistles. 



