18G7.] MR. G. R. CROTCH ON AZOUEAN COLEOPTERA. 361 



been made more in cultivated districts and the neighbourhood of 

 towns than under canvas in remote ravines, as ^Madeira has been 

 ^vorked ; still it shows that the prevailing Atlantic forms are here 

 only scantily represented. The characteristic genera Laj)arocerus, 

 Acalles, Tarphiiis, Attains (all containing eighteen or nineteen spe- 

 cies in the other groups) have only solitary representatives. The 

 ])revailing genera are CnjptojyJiafjus (G), Hovialota (11), PhUonthus 

 (0), Lithocharis (5) ; but they contain almost entirely introduced 

 species. The two new genera of Rhyuchoplwra, Asynomjchus, and 

 Neocneinis barely redeem the general poverty of the fauna ; both, 

 however, are very anomalous in their affinities. Two very abundant 

 Madeira forms (Mesiles and Basytes) are here represented by Eu- 

 ropean species {M, turdii. Curt., and 1). nobilis, 111.), in place of 

 the cognate species found in the former group ; and this is the more 

 singular, as so marked a connexion with jSIadeira exists in some 

 species*. The conclusions derived from M. Drouet's lists of the 

 other classes accord with some of these deductions : thus the almost 

 total absence of peculiar Vertebrata (no Reptiles) would seem to show 

 that it had been under very different conditions from the Canaries. 

 In its land-shells, which afford a good parallel to the insects, out of 

 seventy-six species, one-half are peculiar, one-seventh Atlantic, and 

 one-third European ; among these Viqnesneliu, peculiar to the Azores 

 and India, though found fossil in the Pyrenees, is the most remark- 

 able. 



A detailed analysis of the 1 "JO European species may throw some 

 light on their origin. I have distributed them into two groups (70 

 possibly indigenous, and 101 almost certainly introduced by colo- 

 nists), sorted into eight sections, those printed in italics being new 

 to the Atlantic fauna. 



(1) Cosmopolitan species, which are introduced in articles of 

 commerce, especially provisions, to all parts of the world. These 

 are totally without significance in any fauna, their number depending 

 only on the assiduity with which search is made in warehouses &c. 

 in the sea-ports. Cutting off, therefore, the twelve here enumerated, 

 leaves the real fauna at 200 species. 



Carpophilus dimidiatus. Anobium paniceum. 



■ mutilatus. Calandra oryzK. 



Silvanus advena. granaria. 



Nausibius dentatus. Tribolium ferrugineum. 



Corticaria serrata. Tenebrio obscurus. 



Ptinus testaceus. Alphitobius piceus. 



(2.) Species also introduced by the medium of commerce, but 

 which may be characterized rather as frequenters of refuse : they 



* The most striking group in the collection is, however, the Elaterida, with 

 six fine .species belonging to as many genera. When we remember that in tlie 

 Canaries and Madeira this family is represented by the ill-defined and inconspi- 

 cuous genus Coptostethns, Woll., this is very remarkable. Upon examination, 

 however, two appear to be American and two European, thus leaving only two as 

 really indigenous. 



