!78 PHYTOPHAGA. 



always much swollen, and divided from the face by a deep triangular fovea. Some of 

 the species seem to be most variable in point of colour and sculpture, and very difficult 

 to separate. The genus seems entirely confined to the New World. Several species 

 have been described from Central America. 



l. Typophorus humeralis. (Tab. VII. figg. 22, 23.) 



Typophorus humeralis, Baly, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1859, ser. 3, iv. p. 128 \ 

 Var. rufa, Jacoby, P. Z. S. 1876, p. 815 2 . 



Hob. Mexico, Cordova, Panistlahuca (Salle); Beitish Honduras, river Sarstoon 

 (Blancaneaux) ; Guatemala 1 (Salle), near the city (Salvin 2 ), Cahabon, Senahu, San 

 Joaquin, Capetillo, Zapote, Duenas, Cerro Zunil, Las Mercedes (Champion); Nicaragua, 

 Chontales (Janson) ; Costa Rica, Volcan de Irazu, Cache (Bogers).— Panama (Boucard), 

 Volcan de Chiriqui (Champion). — Colombia. 



The type of this species in Mr. Baly's collection is represented by a single normally 



coloured specimen, to which he evidently added subsequently a specimen of uniform 



bluish-black colour, and devoid of the red basal spot. The very numerous specimens 



which have been received from the above localities prove to me that but little reliance 



can be placed on colour in these insects ; but, at the same time, I am unable to come to a 



definite conclusion whether all the different forms before me should be regarded as merely 



local varieties of one species or not : I have, however, preferred the former. The type is 



of a greenish-black colour, with a square humeral spot not reaching the sutural margin ; 



the elytra have a deep basal depression and a short oblique costa below the shoulder 



( $ ), and are strongly punctate-striate in the depression only, the rest of the elytra 



being finely punctured. All these characters are present in the specimens before me 



from the different localities, with the exception of the colour, which varies greatly. 



Normal specimens are mostly from Guatemala, as well as the rufous variety described 



by myself 2 ; from the same locality purplish, greenish, and blue specimens without 



the shoulder-spot occur, while all those from Chiriqui are of a uniform metallic colour, 



either blue or blackish green ; generally the first four joints of the antennae are fulvous, 



but often the first six joints ; and the punctuation of the elytra is also very variable. 



I have also specimens before me in which the red basal spot extends quite to the 



suture, resembling therefore T. obliquus, Baly, which species is probably only a variety 



of the present. From Chiriqui metallic-coloured as well as entirely rufous specimens 



are before me, scarcely two being exactly alike ; and some specimens from Guatemala 



in M. Salle's collection have the thorax rufous as well as the elytra : the former, when 



seen under a powerful lens, is finely punctured ; and the latter are also minutely but 



sp^ir^iy Puuctaw; in cue sp^es uetween tne stnse, me latter varying um,u ,.* — r .„; 

 in some specimens being almost obliterated behind the middle, while in others they 

 are much stronger and visible to the apex ; but intermediate degrees occur in numerous 



