Fam. Cerambicidce.
Curtomerus, Steph.
C. pilicornis, Fab.—A narrow, light reddish-brown Beetle,
of nocturnal habits, about half an inch or more in length. I
captured it on the window-blind inside of the house at
Maldivia, in the town, where it had evidently been attracted
through the open window by the light of a candle. I t is not very
common, and most likely a recent importation, inasmuch as Mr.
Wollaston writes : “ I t is the opinion likewise of Mr. Pascoe that it
is not truly a native.of St. Helena; for he informs me that its
proper country is the West Indies, and that it is so liable to accidental
transportation (I presume, along with timber), that it has
been taken alive on one or two occasions even in England.”
Fam. Lamiidce.
Coptops, Serv.
C. bidens, Fab.—A large mottled brown and grey Longicorn,
from a half to two-thirds of an inch in length, and robust in proportion,
not common, but occasionally seen about the houses and
trees in Jamestown only. I t is undoubtedly an importation into
the Island.
Fam. Ilalticida. .
Longitarsus, Lat,
*L. mellissii, Woll.—Both this and the following species are
pretty, very black, and shiny little Beetles, which inhabit only tbe
fresh green fern and cabbage-tree foliage, on the highest land, near
Diana’s Peak. That they are purely indigenous cannot be doubted;
and they are easily distinguished from all the other Beetles
by their power of hopping, which they exercise as readily as
the grasshopper, rendering their capture not at all easy.
*L. helense, Woll.—A species very similar to the other, but
about half its size.
Fam. Cassididm.
Aspidomorpha, Hope.
a miliaris, Fab.—I did not meet with this insect, and Mr-
Wollaston says that he knows nothing of it beyond the mere fact
that Fabricius states it to have come from St. Helena.
Fam. Coccinellidce.
Cydonia, Muls.
*C. lu n a t a , Fab.—The Ladybird of the Island is abundant
everywhere, but most common in the central part where vegetation
abounds and it can feed upon the aphides of the rose-bushes; I
have nevertheless seen the larvae hanging suspended under large
rocks and stones on the barren, hot, lower land. I t is a pretty little
creature, in colour generally bright red and black, but sometimes
yellow and black. Mr. Wollaston says: “ Although with a wide
geographical range (it having been recorded from Senegal, tbe Cape
of Good Hope, Caffraria, Madagascar, the islands of Bourbon and
Mauritius, the East Indies, and Java), it was originally described
by Fabricius (in 1775) from St. Helena specimens, now in the
Banksian collection; and therefore, whatever doubt may be entertained
as to the claim for specific separation of some of the extreme
states which have been ascribed to it, there can at least be no
question about the St. Helena form, which must of necessity be
looked upon as the typical one.”
C. v ic in a , Muls.—A species common over the African continent,
as well as in the Cape Verde arehipelago.
r Thea, Muls.
T. v ariegata, Fab.—A small pale yellow and black Ladybird,
about half the size of the other, and less common; almost
the only examples I met with were bred from larvae which were
given to me from the grape-vines at Scotland, a position about
2000 feet above the sea. Mr. Wollaston says: “ I t is a species
which occurs at the Cape of Good Hope, and which was recorded by
Erichson from Angola; and it is not improbable, therefore, that it
may have been introduced into St. Helena from perhaps the former
of those localities.”
Epilachna, Chevr.
E . c h r y s o m e l in a , Fab.—Mr. Wollaston says: “ Although I have
pever seen a St. Helena example of the Mediterranean F. chrysomelina,