Mr. T. V. Wollaston on the Canarian Malacoderms. 435 



from which to compile the diagnosis of the present Attains ; never- 

 theless its characters are so distinct and well-defined that there can 

 be no doubt as to the impossibility of referring it to any of the species 

 here enumerated. It may be readily known by its rather large size 

 and somewhat parallel outline ; by its short and depressed elytra 

 (which have, at any rate in the female sex, a considerable portion of 

 the pygidium uncovered) ; by its large, convex and deeply punctured 

 head ; by its exceedingly bright and very lightly punctulated pro- 

 thorax ; and by its dark hue, the hinder margin of the prothorax 

 and the extreme apex of the elytra (which are less senescent than 

 the rest of the surface) being alone of a pale whitish yellow. 

 Although I have not seen the male, and although the specimen 

 before me has certainly a rather different aspect from the species 

 amongst which I have placed it, I have nevertheless but little doubt 

 that it is a true Attalus. It was taken by myself in the Rio Palmas 

 of Fuerteventura, close to the little town of S ta Maria Betancuria, at 

 the beginning of April 1859. 



14. Attains anthicoides, n. sp. (PL XX. fig. 4.) 

 A. aeneo-niger, prothoracis limbo, elytris in toto (versus basin et suturam 

 gradatim obscurioribus exceptis), antemiis versus basin, tibiis tarsisque 

 testaceis, minute sed dense cinereo pubescens, nitidus ; capite protho- 

 raceque subrotundato minute et parce punctulatis ; elytris paulo minus 

 nitidis, submollibus, interdum obsoletissime (vix perspicue) subcostatis, 

 densissime et minute punctulatis, pilis nigris erectis longiusculis parce 

 obsitis ; pedibus parurn elongatis. 

 Long. corp. lin. I-L3. 



Habitat Lanzarotam et Fuerteventuram ; vel ad flores vel prresertim sub 

 recremento farris circa basin acervorum tritici sparso, una cum Anthico 

 canariensi et cfet. degens. 



In its general outline, size, and colour this Attalus bears such a 

 curious prima facie resemblance to the Heteromerous Anthicus 

 canadensis, that, until carefully examined, it might literally (although 

 in affinity so remote) be mistaken for that insect. And this analogy 

 is the more remarkable from the fact of the habits of the two being 

 almost identical, — the A. anthicoides receding from the other members 

 of the group here enunciated in being found not merely upon flowers, 

 but (far oftener), like the Anthici, beneath dry vegetable refuse lying 

 upon the ground. In such situations I have captured it, rather 

 abundantly, both in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, to which islands 

 (so far as observed hitherto) it would seem to be peculiar. In fact 

 I have frequently taken it in company with the little Anthicus above 

 alluded to ; and when in motion, at all events, it is next to impos- 



