CHAP. XIV.] 



ST. HELENA. 



289 



species belonging to four European genera — Homalota, Philon- 

 thus, Xantholinus, and Oxytelus. 



5. Peiocerata. — The families Elateridse 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. Lamellicoenis. — 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-TEiMEEA. — Here we have the fine lady-bird CMo- 

 menus 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. TElCHOPTEEYGiDiE. — These, the minutest of beetles, are 

 represented by one species of the European and Madeiran genus 

 Ptinella. 



10. Neceophaga. — One indigenous species of Cryptophaga 

 inhabits St. l^elena, and this is said to be very closely allied to 

 a Cape species. 



Peculiarities mid Origin of the Coleoptera of St. HeUim. — 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 antiquity of the insect fauna of St. Helena, which 

 has allowed time for the modification of the originally introduced 

 species, and their special adaptation to the conditions prevailing 

 in this remote island. This antiquity is also shown by the re- 

 markable specific modification of a few types. Thus the whole 

 of the Cossonidse may be referred to three types, one species only 

 (Hexacoptus ferrugineus) being allied to the European Cossonidse 

 though forming a distinct genus ; a group of three genera and 

 seven species remotely allied to the Stenoscelis hylastoides, Avhich 

 occurs also at the Cape j while a group of twelve genera with 



U 



