50 PHYTOPHAGA. 



suture extending to the middle of the elytra, the second band much shorter and sometimes connected 

 with the apical spots ; pygidium coarsely rugose-punctate, with an elevated central ridge and two flavous 

 spots, which are sometimes absent ; legs and underside rufous ; prosternum and the middle of the 

 abdomen more or less flavous ; posterior thighs as long as the elytra in the male. 

 Var. The two brown bands of the thorax divided into four. 



Hab. Mexico, Playa Vicente, Oaxaca (Sails); Guatemala, Capetillo, Duefias 

 (Champion). 



This well-marked species seems to be closely allied to C. leucomelas from North 

 America, from which it is distinguished by the different coloration of the elytra and 

 the length of the antennae. All the Mexican specimens before me belong to the above 

 variety, while those from Guatemala all agree with the type figured ; but this difference 

 is the only one. 



27. Cryptocephalus xanthospilus. 



Cryptocephalus xanthospilus, Suffr. Monogr. vii. p. 38. 



Hab. Mexico. 



I have great doubt whether this species is really distinct from C. irroratus, Suffr. I 

 fail, at least, to find sufficient distinguishing characters in the author's description ; the 

 four brown spots at the apex of the elytra, upon which Suffrian lays some stress, and all 

 intermediate stages to a band are visible in the specimens which I refer to C. irroratus ; 

 the same may be said of the more or less distinct elytral bands. Other differences I 

 cannot find ; and in Suffrian's long description hardly any allusion is made to the direc- 

 tion of the elytral striae. 



28. Cryptocephalus stigmatipennis. (Tab. III. fig. 14.) 



Light fulvous ; apical joints of the antennae black ; thorax with a short transverse basal depression, distantly 

 punctured ; elytra yellowish white, deeply punctate-striate, each elytron with six small black spots 

 (2,2,2). 



Length 1^ line. 



Head impunctate, lower part of face protruding, eyes almost contiguous and very large in the male ; antennae 

 as long as half the body, first five joints flavous, the rest black ; thorax with the posterior margin slightly 

 and evenly rounded, without any median lobe, sides with an oblique distinct depression, which extends 

 nearly to another transverse depression in front of the scutellum, surface covered with distinct but not 

 very closely approached punctures, fulvous, shining, the posterior margin narrowly black; scutellum 

 elongate subtriangular, black ; elytra pale yellowish, deeply punctate-striate, the first stria (not the scu- 

 tellar one) short, the second united at the apex to the ninth, the same being the case with the third and 

 fourth and the fifth and eighth striae, the latter making a short inward curve near the middle, the sixth 

 and seventh row abbreviated below the shoulder, interstices smooth, slightly costate in the male, more 

 distinctly in the female, an elongate spot at the shoulder, another between the latter and the scutellum, 

 placed between the first and third row, two round, transversely placed spots behind the middle, and two 

 others near the apex, at the end of each united pair of striae, black. Female with the usual deep abdominal 

 groove, but the elytra extending beyond the pygidium; posterior margin of the prosternum nearly 

 truncate. 



Hab. Guatemala, Capetillo (Champion). 



On account of the distinct lateral and basal depressions of the thorax, this species 



