INTRODUCTION.

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phorus, Cetonia, Telephorus, Tentyria, Eimelia, Acis, Asida and Otiorhynchus arealtogether wanting. The vast race of the Thalerophagous Lamellicorns {vid. p. 235),as also the immense department of the Elateridce {vid. p. 239), are representedapparently by but a single form,—as are also the Silphidce, Telephoridce, Tenty-riadce , and the CEdemeridce.

Of the 13 primary sections into which I have distributed the entire Coleoptera ,the Rhyncophora contains the largest amount of species, and the Eucerata thesmallest. Arranged numerically, they are as follows : llhyncophora (104), Necro-phaga (80), Geodephaga (63), Brachelytra (74), Eriocerata (35), Atrachelia (29),Cordylocerata (22), JPhytophaga (21), Eseudotrimera (17), EMlhydrida (13), Tra-chelia (11), Ilyd/radephaga (7), Eucerata (6). Now there is an anomaly in theseproportions, which it is not easy, at first sight, to account for,—namely, that,whilst Madeira is essentially a land of wood and streams, the Longicorns andWater-beetles should be the least shadowed forth of the whole. As regards thelatter of these, however, the deficiency is not difficult to understand,—the rapidnature of the rivers, which are liable to sudden inundations from the mountains,and to deposit their contents in positions distant from their banks, or to pour inceaseless torrents over the perpendicular faces of the rocks, being anything butfavourable to insect life.

Of the 56 families which enter our lists, the Curculionidce, Staphylinidce andCarabidce (as might be expected) take the lead,—the first numbering 80 species,the second 73, and the third 63. The next, in point of extent, is the Golydiadce,—which contains 19. The Galerucidce has 13 ; the Lathridiadce and Coccinellidce12 ; the Aphodiadce 10; the Melyridce 7; the Eytiscidce, Histeridce and Ceram-bieidce 6; the Chrysomelidce 4, and the Scydmamidce 1.

Of the genera with which we have here to do, Tarphius and Homalota (each ofwhich have 15 representatives) rank first. Then comes Atlantis (which has 14) ;Acalles (13); Etmus (10) ; Trechus and Helops (9); Bembidium and Lcenio-phlceus (8); Caulotrupis , Apion and Ehilonthus (7); Bromius, Corticaria, Apho-dius, Longitarsus and Scymnus (6); Eixus, Sitona, Esylliodes, Goccinella andOxytelus (5), &c.

In glancing over our catalogue, we shall be struck, apart from the dearth in theHydradephaga and Eucerata (already commented upon), by the great scarcity ofthe flower-infesting tribes,—which, in a country like Madeira, where vegetationis redundant, is not a little extraordinary. Thus, to take the various families, insuccession, which may be considered as par excellence falling under that denomi-

to have been incorrectly referred (as was also, I imagine, his Melancrus Amaroides ) to the islands of ourpresent group. They may possibly have been Canarian, or (which is more likely still) from the Azores ;hut until further evidence than that of a mere Catalogue (formed in another country, and subjected toall the chances of uncertain information) be supplied, I confess I shall not he inclined to regard them asotherwise than apocryphal.

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