280 PHTTOPHAGA. 



I am obliged to separate this species from the preceding one on account of its less 

 parallel shape, the fulvous breast and scutellum, and the less transversely shaped thorax ; 

 the joints of the antenna are also of different comparative length ; all these differences 

 are present in the six specimens before me. From L. elegantula, Har., the present 

 insect differs in the metallic green elytra, the fulvous legs and breast, and from L. spe- 

 cularis, Har., by the same characters. 



24. Lactica obscura. 



Oblong, black; three basal joints of the antenna, the head, thorax, and legs pale fulvous; elytra black, 

 impunctate. 



HeTdtith a few punctures round the inner margin of the eyes, the vertex iiupunctate, frontal tubercles entirely 

 indistinct ; antenna, of half the length of the body, black, the three first joints fulvous, second and third 

 joints of nearly equal length, the rest rather short ; thorax transverse, very little narrowed in front, the 

 sides nearly straight; surface impunctate, the basal sulcation very distinct, and extending almost across 

 the entire disk, but distinctly bounded at the sides by the longitudinal groove ; anterior angles o± the 

 thorax obtuse ; scutellum black ; elytra scarcely widened behind, black, scarcely visibly or microscopically 

 finely punctured, the interstices very slightly rugose near the suture; underside of the thorax, tne legs, 

 and tarsi fulvous, the rest black. 



Hab. Nicaragua, Chontales (Janson) ; Panama, San Miguel, one of the Pearl Islands 

 (Champion). 



25. Lactica elegantula. 



Lactica elegantula, Harold, Col. Hefte, xiv. p. 16 (1875) 1 . 



Hab. Mexico, Jalapa (Edge).— Colombia l . 



Four specimens obtained by Herr Hoge agree so perfectly with von Harold's 

 description, that I must refer them to this author's species. The only difference in the 

 Mexican specimens is the smaller size by one millimetre. 



26. Lactica salvmi. 



Oblong-ovate, black; head and thorax violaceous blue, impunctate; elytra cupreous violaceous, the base not 

 raised, entirely impunctate. 



Length lh line. . 



Head impunctate, with a distinct but small fovea in front of each eye; frontal tubercles entirely obsolete ; 

 carina thickened and much dilated in front; labrum black; antennae two thirds the length of the body, 

 the third joint one half longer than the second ; the apices of the first and second joints fulvous ; terminal 

 joints rather slender and gradually thickened ; thorax transverse, the sides rounded and narrowly margined, 

 anterior portion rather deflexed at the sides, the angles obtuse ; surface impunctate, the basal sulcation 

 deep and rectangular at the sides ; scutellum black ; elytra rather convex, scarcely widened behind, very 

 obsoletely depressed below the base, impunctate, of a reddish violaceous; underside and legs black. 



Hab. Guatemala, San Geronimo (Champion). 

 A single specimen only was obtained. 



