LACTICA. 271 



Of the two or three similarly coloured species, the present one is at once distinguished 

 by its much smaller size and that of the elytral spots, also by the colour of the legs and 

 the antennae While two of the four specimens received are marked as described above, 

 the two others have the two spots at the base of the elytra confluent, but in such a way as 

 to preserve the shape of the elongate shoulder-spot. The insect is of less than half the 

 size of L. macula, Fab., from which it is further distinguished by the deep thoracic 

 groove. 



3. Lactica variabilis. (Tab. XVI. figg. 17, 18.) 



Oblong, parallel, obscure testaceous ; antennae (the three basal joints excepted), the apex of the femora, tibiae, 

 and tarsi piceous ; elytra extremely finely punctured, testaceous, a subquadrate spot at the base blackish 

 blue. 



Length 1|-1§ line. 



Head impunctate, frontal tubercles very flattened and obsolete ; carina but little raised, broad ; antennae two 

 thirds the length of the body, black, the first three joints obscure fulvous, third joint about half as long as 

 the second, fourth joint one half longer than the third ; thorax impunctate, transverse, sides slightly 

 rounded and constricted near the base, basal sulcation deep ; elytra rather elongate, scarcely widened 

 posteriorly, the punctuation microscopically fine, each elytron with a subquadrate piceous or bluish spot 

 at the base which does not extend to the sutural or lateral margin ; apex of the femora, the tibiae, and 

 tarsi more or less distinctly piceous. 



Var. a. Elytra with an additional apical spot. 



Var. b. Elytra nnicolorous, obscure fulvous. 



Eab. Mexico, Cordova (Salle), Jalapa (Edge) ; Guatemala, Duenas, Zapote, Capetillo, 

 Purula, Tamahu, San Joaquin in Vera Paz (Champion) ; Panama, Volcan de Chiriqui 

 (Champion). 



The normally coloured specimens of this species, or those which have a basal spot, 

 are not difficult to distinguish on account of this coloration. Between this form 

 and those without elytral spots numerous intermediate stages are before me, the species 

 having been obtained in great numbers. In some the basal spot is just visible, in others 

 it has disappeared altogether, and in two specimens obtained at Jalapa there is an addi- 

 tional spot near the apex of each elytron. The colour of the legs is equally variable, but 

 generally the apex of the femora and the tibiae are piceous. Spotless examples of this 

 species are not easy to distinguish from other small forms of somewhat similar colour. 

 In the present insect the colour is a very light fulvous ; the shape is narrow and parallel, 

 not widened posteriorly. The colour of the antennae and that of the body will help to 

 distinguish the variety from L. uniformis. A specimen from Chiriqui and one from 

 Jalapa are figured. 



4. Lactica chevrolati. (Tab. XVI. fig. 16.) 



Elongate, subparallel, testaceous ; antennae, the apex of the femora, tarsi, and tibiae black ; elytra impunctate. 



Length 2-2J lines. 



Head distinctly punctured near the inner margin of the eyes, space between the latter impressed with a longi- 

 tudinal fovea ; maxillary palpi thickened at the penultimate joint, piceous ; antennae two thirds the length 



