DIPHATTLACA. 267 



The present species can only be confounded with two others, D. fossifrons, Har., 

 and D. jucunda, Har., with both of which it has the deep fovea of the head in common. 

 The former insect is, however, distinguished by the colour of the first three joints of 

 the antennae and of that of the anterior part of the femora, which are rufous, and by 

 the want of the punctuation below the middle of the elytra. D. jucunda is smaller ; 

 the first three joints of the antennas are described as being reddish, and the apex of the 

 elytra impunctate and with a shallow depression. Von Harold does not mention the 

 shape of the sides of the thorax, nor does he compare the last-named species with 

 D. fossifrons, to which it seems more nearly allied than to I), colombica and B. hilaris. 



According to Mr. Baly these latter species ought to be placed in the genus Hermwo* 

 phaga (Trans. Ent. Soc. 1879), on account of a small spine at the four anterior tibiae. 

 I am unable to discover this character in a typical specimen contained in my collection, 

 and think that von Harold has placed the species in the proper genus, all the other 

 characters peculiar to Diphaulaca being also present. 



Another species described by von Harold, D. sulcifrons, seems also closely allied to 

 the present (both having the thoracic groove continued parallel with the lateral margin 

 when viewed in certain lights) ; but in the last insect the antennas and legs are of 

 different colour. 



7. Diphaulaca sobrina. 



Ovate-oblong, obscure testaceous below, dark violaceous above ; four basal joints of the antennae and the base 

 of the legs testaceous ; head deeply foveolate ; thorax impunctate ; elytra with a few punctured striae 

 anteriorly. 



Length 1| line. 



Hab. Mexico, Playa Vicente (SalU). 



As this species is, again, closely allied to JD. chiriquensis, D. fossifrons, and one or 

 two others, it will be better to point out the distinguishing differences only. In the 

 species before us the upper colour is a dark violet, in which the insect differs from all 

 other allied forms. The head has a deep fovea extending nearly to the vertex. The 

 antennas are more than half the length of the body, the third joint is nearly double 

 the length of the second, the four basal joints testaceous. The elytra have the base 

 rather raised, with a punctured stria near the suture and a few others towards the sides, 

 the rest of the surface impunctate. Legs and underside obscure testaceous, with a 

 more or less distinct violaceous blue gloss. 



This colour and that of the upperside will separate this species from D. jucunda, 

 Har. The two specimens before me do not differ from each other in any way. 



8. Diphaulaca crassicornis. 



Ovate, convex, dark violaceous blue ; antennae black, incrassate towards the apex ; thorax with the transverse 



groove continued laterally ; elytra with deep basal depression, distinctly punctate-striate anteriorly. 

 Length \\ line. 



• 2m2 



