400 Mr. T. V. WoUaston on the Coleoptera of St. Helena. 



amongst the collection of insects taken recently by Mr. Melliss 

 at St. Helena ; and although, of course, totally unconnected 

 with the native fauna of the island, yet, as the species is 

 allowed to figure in the local list of nearly every civilized 

 country, we can scarcely deny it a place in our present enu- 

 meration. 



Fam. CryptophagidsB. 



Genus Cryptophagus. 



Herbst, Kaf. iv. 172 (1792). 



Cry2ytophagus hadius^. 



Cryptopliagus hadius, St., Deutscli. Fna, xvi. 90, t. 817. f. A (1845). 

 , Erich., Nat. der Ins. Deutscli. iii. 357 (184G). 



Amongst the St.-Helena Coleoptera of Mr. Melliss there is 

 a single example of what seems to be the common European 

 Gryptojyhagus hadius ; and I may add that Mr. Eye is like- 

 wise of opinion that it should be referred to that species. I 

 have therefore little hesitation in recording the G. hadius 

 amongst the insects which have been naturalized in the island 

 through the medium of commerce, though the individual now 

 before me presents perhaps a slight shade of difference from 

 the ordinary typef. 



Oryptojthagus gracilipes^ , n. sp. 



C. oblongo-ovalis, ferrugineus, subnitidus, ubique densissime et 

 valde profunde punctatus, et pube elongata suberecta albida prse- 

 sertim in elytris obsitus ; prothorace convexo, trausverso, postice 

 vix angustiore, angulis anticis elongato-incrassatis, ad apicem 

 retrorsum acutiusculis, ad latera minutissime sequaliter subserrato 

 (interdum fere simpliei) ; elytris convexis ; antennis pedibusque 

 elongatis, gracilibus, paulo pallidioribus. 



Long. Corp. lin. vix 1. 



Several examples of this most distinct and interesting little 

 Gryjptophagus are amongst the Coleoptera collected at St. He- 

 lena by Mr. Melliss ; but whether they were taken in the 

 houses and stores about the town I am unable to say — though, 

 as the Gryptophagi are insects which are so eminently liable 

 to transmission through the medium of commerce, this is most 

 likely to have been the case. At any rate, however, it differs 

 very essentially from every member of the genus with which 

 I am acquainted ; and Mr. Eye, who has paid unusual atten- 



t After a careful examination of this specimen, Mr. Rye says : — '* The 

 St.-Helena Cryptophmjus is, I think, badius witliout doubt. The only 

 little point in which it seems to difier is in the outline of the sides of the 

 thorax behind the middle denticle, which is scarcely so obliquely stronjht 

 as in the Z»«f/r«5 tvpp, bein;^- a irlfie inv^'ular \vi\\ tlio postprirr angles; 

 but I trace similar leudtiicies in some of my undoubted badina.'' 



