274 PHYTOPBAGA. 



the anterior depression at the thorax; the present inseet, besides this character, by the 

 obsoletely costate elytra •. Many specimens from the different locates given above 

 have been obtained ; a single one only at Jalapa, which agrees wife the others This 

 species deviates somewhat from the typical forms of Lactica in the shape of the thoramc 

 love, which is not so well limited laterally as is generally the case, bnt approaches 

 more gradually the angles of the posterior margin. The head also shows a rather 

 nnusnal scnlptnre ; in all other respects the species cannot be separated from the genus. 

 The specimen figured is from Paso Antonio. 



10. Lactica minuta. (Tab. XVI. fig. 15.) 



Ovate, rufous, shiniug ; terminal joints of the antenna, black ; base of the femora and tibu M ^ tarn 

 black ; basal groove of thorax obsolete, the latter with a lateral antenor fovea ; elytra smooth, impunctate. 



HTafraLerflat, strongly punctured near the inner margin of the eyes; .^ taberde.^^ ;^™ 

 two thirds the length of the body, slender, black ; three basal joints testaceous, fourth joint distoctiy 

 longer than the third; thorax transverse, the sides very slightly rounded; basal margin ™*J»™ 

 sulfation rather sinuate, the latter shallow but distinct ; a transverse short depression is placed laterally 

 near the anterior margin, rest of the surface impunctate ; elytra rather convex rufous, entirely impune 

 tate when seen under an ordinary magnifying-power ; knees, the apex of the tibia, and the tarsi 

 pieeous. 



Eab. Guatemala, El Jicaro, San Juan (Champion) ; Panama, Bugaba (Champion). 



From L. subcostata, with which the insect before us has the anterior thoracic depres- 

 sion in common, L. minuta may be easily distinguished by its small size, slender 

 antenna?, the uniform rufous colour, and absence of the elytral costse. In the one 

 specimen obtained at Bugaba the anterior thoracic depression is almost obsolete ; all 

 other characters, however, agree with the specimens from the other localities. L. rubra, 

 Illig , seems also very closely allied, and, according to a specimen in Mr. Baly's collec- 

 tion differs only in its uniformly coloured fulvous legs and tarsi. The present insect 

 may therefore be possibly but a variety of L. rubra ; it is, however, still smaller than 

 the latter and a little more widened posteriorly. 



11. Lactica mexicana. (Tab. XVI. fig. 7.) 



Fulvous ; antennae (the first joint excepted) black ; elytra impunctate, depressed below the base, dark viola- 

 ceous or greenish blue ; tarsi black. 



HTad^impunltate ; frontal tubercles indistinct ; carina swollen, much widened in front ; antennas half the 

 length of the body ; the second joint subrotundate, short, third joint twice as long, the basal joint nitons, 

 the rest black ; thorax transverse, the sides narrowly margined, anterior angles obtuse, the basal sulfation 

 deep limited at each side, surface shining, impunctate ; scutellum fulvous ; elytra parallel, distinctly 



* L. rubricate*, Illig., seems a very closely allied species (to judge by a specimen contained in Mr. Baly's 

 collection), but differs principally in the colour of the antennse and legs. The present species may possibly be 

 only a variety of this insect. 



