270 ZOOLOGICAL GEOGRAPHY. [part iir. 



wader, a small plover (^Jf^gicditis sandce-helenm) which is peculiar 

 to the island, but closely allied to African species. Numerous 

 imported birds, such as canaries, Java sparrows, some African 

 finches, guinea-fowls, and partridges, are now wild. There are 

 no native butterflies, but a few introduced species of almost 

 world-wide range. The only important remnant of the original 

 fauna consists of beetles and land shells. Tlie beetles are the 

 more numerous and have been critically examined and described 

 by Mr. T. A^. WoUaston, whose researches in the other Atlantic 

 islands are so well known. 



Colcoptcra of St. Helena. — Omitting those beetles which get 

 introd\iced everywhere through man's agency, there are 59 species 

 of Coleoptera known from St. Helena ; and even of these there 

 are a few widely distributed species that may have been intro- 

 duced by man. It will be well, therefore, to confine ourselves 

 almost wholly to the species peculiar to the island, and, therefore, 

 almost certainly forming part of the endemic or original fauna. 

 Of these we thid that 10 belong to genera which have a very 

 wide range, and thus afford no indication of geograpliical affinity ; 

 2 belong to genera which are characteristic of the Pahearctic 

 fauna (Bcmhidimn, Longitursus) ; 3 to African genera {Ado ret u% 

 Sciohias, Aspidomorplia) ; and two species of Catosoma are most 

 allied to African species. There are also 4 African species, 

 which may be indigene as in St. Helena. The peculiar genera, 

 7 in number, are, however, the most interesting. We have first 

 Haplothorax, a large beetle allied to Co.rahus and 6'«/o.som«, though 

 of a peculiar type. This may be held to indicate a remote 

 Paloearctic affinity. Melissius, one of the DynastidiB, is allied to 

 South African forms. Microxylohius, one of the Cossonides (a 

 sub-family of Curculionidse) is the most important genus, com- 

 prising as it does 13 species. It is, according to Mr. Wollaston, 

 an altogether peculiar type, most allied to Pentarthrum, a genus 

 found in St. Helena, Ascension, and the south of England, and 

 itself very isolated. Ncsiotes, another genus of Curculionidoe, 

 belongs to a small group, the allied genera forming which inhabit 

 Europe, Madeira, and Australia. A third peculiar and isolated 

 genus is TrucliiiptliJirni^omd. The Anthribida- are represented by 



