422 Mr. T. V. Wollaston on the Canarian Malacoderms. 



pilonidal. Whether natural or not, these are the limits which have 

 heen assigned to it by those recent writers (Kiesenwetter, Lacordaire, 

 and others) who have paid special attention to the representatives 

 of this department of the Coleoptera. 



Considering that the Madeiras, which have been far more perfectly 

 explored than the Canaries, have afforded us hitherto but 9 members 

 of this great and important Section, it is surprising that so many as 

 31* should already have been brought to light in the latter; for 

 although the greater amount of surface would naturally lead us to 

 anticipate the presence of a larger number of species, still the area 

 is not so extensive, compared with that of the former, as to account 

 for this wonderful discrepancy. And when I further add that it is 

 evident to me that there are many exponents yet to be discovered, 

 whilst I have no longer any reason to look for additions from Madeira, 

 this disproportionate development of the Malacoderms in the Canary 

 Islands becomes still more striking. Nor can it be accounted for by 

 the superior development of the Flora; for in both Groups the 

 flowering plants are, as a ivhole, equally insignificant, — that portion 

 of their vegetation which is truly indigenous attaining its greatest 

 luxuriance, alike in the two archipelagos, amongst the Euphorbiacece, 

 the Laurinece, and the Ferns. And we can therefore only accept it 

 as a fact, leaving the problem to be solved by those who profess to 

 have a more complete insight into the mysteries of nature's work- 

 shop. 



In glancing over the following pages, the great preponderance of 

 Attalus (which numbers no less than 16 species) is the most salient 

 fact. And this is the more curious since it is doubtful whether the 

 genus is so much as even represented in the Madeiran Group f. Yet 

 at the Canaries the Attali are literally everywhere. In the whole 

 seven islands, and at nearly all altitudes, we meet with some mem- 

 ber, or more, of the genus. In fact wherever flowers are to be found, 

 there, throughout the entire year, though more particularly during 

 the spring and summer months, are Attali. 



* Only 30 are described in the present Memoir ; but a second species of 

 Ccphalogonia (captured by myself, at Aldea de San Nicholas, in Grand Canary) 

 is in the hands of Professor Westwood, who is about to include it in a Paper 

 which he is now preparing. 



t I say " doubtfid " because I have stated below {vide p. 42G) that it is not 

 absolutely certain that Pecteroptis (which has three exponents in Madeira) can 

 be kept distinct from Attalus. At the same time I have expressed my belief that 

 it probably may be retained ; though in that case it will be a question yet to be 

 decided, whether the P. madercnsis and rugosus should not be regarded as Attali. 

 and the P. rostratus alone as a Pecteropus. 



