10 [>•""£' 
Madeira, and tlie Canary Islands, viz., T. ohsccena, Wollaston, and T. 
anthracina, Matthews, of the latter of which I was lucky enough to 
find many specimens, though of the former I obtained but one. T. 
anthracina is a distinct and well-marked species ; it belongs to the first 
division of the genus, which comprises T. atomaria, and others, whose 
thorax is much dilated at the base, with its posterior angles produced 
beyond the shoulders of the elytra ; but from all these it may be easily 
known by its small size, deep black colour, and short black antennae. 
T. ohsccena belongs to a group of which T. Guerinii may be con- 
sidered the type, and all of which have pale or rufescent elytra, and 
the thorax scarcely dilated at the base. In noticing this species I must 
apologize to Mr. Wollaston for having formerly led him into error. 
"When, some years ago, he kindly sent me his specimen of T. olsccena 
for examination, I returned it to him with the observation, that I did 
not consider it distinct from T. Guerinii ; and, in consequence of this 
advice, Mr. "Wollaston has since quoted his ohsccena as a synonym of 
Querinii. 
At the period alluded to I was just entering upon the arduous, 
and then almost hopeless, task of separating the confused mass of in- 
sects which had abeady poured in upon me from all quai-ters of the 
world, and I naturally felt anxious to avoid all unnecessary separation 
of species ; but I soon discovered that it would be impossible to adhere 
to such a system, and that the only method of arriving at any thing like 
a true classification would be to follow the example of Col. Motschulsky, 
and to divide wherever persistent characters could be observed sufficient 
to justify a division. I found also that one of the most distinctiA'e 
specific characters exist in the superficial sculpture ; for, where this 
proves to be identical, every other mark, such as shape and colour, will 
always agree as a natural sequence. 
"When I mounted the specimen I had taken at Sherwood, I was 
much struck by the appearance of its sculpture ; this led to further 
examination, and I found that, though diflering from Guerinii, it coin- 
cided exactly in this respect with ohsccena, and that both also difiered 
from Guerinii in the comparative length of the elytra, and a few other 
points of minor importance. I therefore feel no doubt that ohsccena is 
distinct from Guerinii, and that Mr. "WoUaston's name must be restored 
to the species, 
A third species new to our list (also from Sherwood Forest) is an 
extremely pretty Ptilium, allied to Pt. angulicolle, but easily distin- 
guished by two deep converging lateral lines on the thorax, which is 
nearly destitute of any central channel. It was found by Mrs. Matthews 
