SCIKTES. 611 



at the sides ; elytra thickly, finely punctate, the punctuation coarser than that of the prothorax, narrowly 



and acutely margined at the sides. 

 Var. a. Piceous or brown, the sides of the prothorax broadly flavous ; the antennas with the apical two or 



three joints only infuscate ; the legs fusco-testaceous. 

 Var. j3. Black, the prothorax reddish-yellow, paler at the sides ; the antennas brown, with the five basal joints 



testaceous. 

 Length 3-4, breadth 2|-2| millim. 



Rah. Mexico, Atoyac in Vera Cruz, Teapa in Tabasco (R. R. Smith); Guatemala, 

 Yzabal (Salle) ; Panama, Bugaba (Champion), Colon (Janson). 



Thirteen examples : seven of the typical form, from Atoyac and Teapa ; five of the 

 var. a, from Panama ; and one of the var. (3, from Yzabal. This insect is very like 

 S. circumcinctus, but it has more coarsely and more closely punctured elytra. It 

 varies greatly in colour, like S. suborbiculatus and other species of the genus. The 

 shorter and finer pubescence and sparser elytral punctuation separate it from S. pilatei. 

 A specimen from Teapa is figured. 



6. Scirtes scapularis. (Tab. xxvil. fig. 4.) 



Broadly elliptic, moderately convex, shining ; deep black, the prothorax and an oblong humeral patch on each 

 elytron rufo-testaceous, the antennae black, with the second and third joints obscurely rufescent, the legs 

 black, with the tips of the tarsi and the tibial spurs testaceous ; the upper surface thickly pubescent, the 

 pubescence rather coarse, partaking of the ground-colour. Head, prothorax, and scutellum somewhat 

 sparsely, minutely punctate; antennas stout, moderately long, joint 3 small and shorter than 2, 4-11 

 longer than broad, 4-10 subequal in length ; prothorax convex, very short, rapidly narrowing from the 

 base ; elytra closely, finely punctate, the punctuation coarser than that of the prothorax, acutely and 

 narrowly margined at the sides. 



Length 4, breadth 2| millim. 



Eab. Mexico, Omilteme in Guerrero 8000 feet (R. II. Smith). 



One example. Not closely allied to any of the other species here enumerated, and 

 easily distinguished by the black body, legs, and antennae and the reddish thorax and 

 shoulder-spot. From the somewhat similarly-coloured var. a of S. pilatei it may be 

 separated by its more oblong, less convex shape, the shorter and stouter antennae, the 

 black limbs and under surface, and finer pubescence. The antennal joints 4-10 are 

 subequal in length, the insect differing in this respect from most of the other species 

 of the genus. 



7. Scirtes pilatei. 



Scyrtes pilatei, Guer. Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1861, p. 545 \ 



Broadly elliptic, rather convex, shining; varying in colour from piceous to rufo-testaceous, the antennae 

 testaceous, with the apical one or two joints infuscate, the legs testaceous, with the posterior femora 

 usually darker ; the upper surface thickly clothed with rather long and coarse decumbent yellowish- or 

 fulvo-cinereous hairs. Head, prothorax, and scutellum very finely punctate ; antenna? long and slender, 

 joint 3 about as long as 2, 4-11 very elongate, the outer joints diminishing in length ; prothorax convex, 

 very short, rapidly narrowing from the base, acutely margined at the sides ; elytra thickly, finely punctate, 

 the punctuation coarser than that of the prothorax, narrowly and acutely margined at the sides. 



412 



