PTILODACTYLA. 631 



in its smaller size. The colour of the elytra is very variable. In one male from 

 Bugaba (fig. 15) the basal fascia is so much extended as to nearly reach the median 

 patch, and the apex also is black ; and in another specimen from the same locality the 

 elytra are entirely black. The antennas, too, as in P. rufa, also vary greatly in colour. 

 Some specimens are more parallel than others, irrespective of sex. In one of the 

 Chiriqui males the thorax is much more distinctly punctured than usual. 



3. Ptilodactyla nigricornis. 



Rather short, oblong-elliptic, convex, very shining ; head, prothorax, and under surface very sparsely and finely 

 pubescent, the rest of the surface apparently glabrous ; rufous or brownish-rufous, the antennae black, 

 with the two basal joints rufo-testaceous, the legs ferrugineo-testaceous ; the entire upper surface 

 rather sparsely, minutely punctate, the punctures on the prothorax excessively minute, the under surface 

 also sparsely punctate. Head broad, the eyes moderately large ; antennae — ( <5 ) as long as the body, 

 with the joints from the third subequal in length, 4-10 each with a moderately long ramus — ( $ ) gradually 

 widening and becoming more strongly serrate from the fourth joint, 3 and 4 elongate, 5-11 decreasing in 

 length. Prothorax short, transversely convex in front, sharply margined at the sides, the latter rounded 

 and converging almost from the base ; the base trisinuate, denticulate, and with a projecting tooth in the 

 centre ; the hind angles acute and directed backwards. Scutellum deeply notched in the centre in front, 

 and with a narrow median sulcus extending thence to the apex. Elytra moderately long, wider than the 

 prothorax, acutely margined at the sides, and subparallel from a little below the shoulders to about the 

 middle, with a shallow, punctured sutural stria not extending to the apex. 



Length 4f-5|, breadth 2i-2± millim. ( <? $ .) 



Hah. Guatemala, Sinanja in Vera Paz (Champion). 



One male and four females. More elongate and more parallel than P. rufa, the 

 antennae entirely black, the two basal joints excepted, the thorax distinctly pubescent 

 (even in rubbed examples), the antennae more elongate in both sexes. 



4. Ptilodactyla elbenina. 



Elliptic, short, convex, very shining; almost glabrous, the head, prothorax, and under surface very 

 sparsely and finely pubescent in fresh examples ; black or pitchy-black, the antennae black or piceous, the 

 legs piceous or brown, the tarsi testaceous ; the upper surface somewhat thickly, minutely punctate, the 

 punctures on the prothorax often a little closer and coarser than those on the elytra, the metasternum 

 sparsely, the rest of the under surface closely, punctured. Head broad, the eyes moderately large ; 

 antennae — (d 1 ) about as long as the body, rather slender, joints 4-10 each with a comparatively 

 short ramus — ( 2 ) gradually becoming more distinctly serrate from the fourth joint. Prothorax short, 

 transversely convex in front, narrowly margined at the sides, the latter rounded from the middle 

 forwards, and subparallel or slightly constricted behind, the hind angles acute ; the base trisinuate, 

 denticulate at the sides and in the middle, and with a projecting tooth in the centre. Scutellum 

 smooth, deeply notched in the middle in front and with a narrow median sulcus extending thence to 

 the apex. Elytra short, a little wider than the prothorax, subparallel to near the middle, narrowly 

 margined at the sides, and with a very short sutural stria at the base, the humeri somewhat rounded. 



Length 2|-3, breadth 1|-1£ millim. ( 6 2 .) 



Had. Mexico, Toxpam, Cordova (Salle) ; Guatemala, Sinanja and San Juan in Vera 

 Paz (Champion) ; Panama, Volcan de Chiriqui (Champion). 



Many specimens, the insect being apparently not uncommon on the Atlantic slope of 

 Southern Mexico and Guatemala and in Chiriqui. Easily recognizable bv its small 



