300 



ISLAND LIFE 



PART II 



Geodephaga, twelve in number, belong to the wide-spread 

 genus Bembidium, but they are altogether peculiar and 

 isolated, except one, which is of European type, and alone 

 has wings, all the rest being wingless. 



3. Heteromera. — This group is represented by three 

 peculiar genera containing four species, with two species 

 belonging to European genera. They belong to the families 

 Opatridse, Mordellidas, and Anthicidce. 



4. Brachyelytra. — Of this group there are six peculiar 

 species belonging to four European genera — Homalota, 

 Philonthus, Xantholinus, and Oxytelus. 



5. Priocerata. — The families Elateridae and Anobiidse 

 are each represented by a peculiar species of a European 

 genus. 



6. Phytophaga. — There are only three species of this 

 tribe, belonging to the European genus Longitarsus. 



7. Lamellicornis. — Here are three species belonging 

 to two genera. One is a peculiar species of Trox, allied to 

 South African forms ; the other two belong to the peculiar 

 genus Melissius, which Mr. Wollaston considers to be 

 remotely allied to Australian insects. 



8. Pseudo-trimera.' — Here we have the fine lady-bird 

 Chilomenus lunata, also found in Africa, but apparently 

 indigenous in St. Helena; and a peculiar species of 

 Euxestes, a genus only found elsewhere in Madeira. 



9. Trichopterygidje. — These, the minutest of beetles, 

 are represented by one species of the European and 

 Madeiran genus Ptinella. 



10. Necrophaga.- — One indigenous species of Crypto- 

 phaga inhabits St. Helena, and this is said to be very 

 closely allied to a Cape species. 



Peculiarities and Origin of the Coleoptera of St. Helena. — 

 We see that the great mass of the indigenous species are 

 not only peculiar to the island, but so isolated in their 

 characters as to show no close affinity with any existing 

 insects; while a small number (about one-third of the 

 whole) have some relations, though often very remote, 

 with species now inhabiting Europe, Madeira, or South 

 Africa. These facts clearly point to the very great anti- 

 quity of the insect fauna of St. Helena, which has allowed 



