LACTICA. 281 



27. Lactica pusilla. 



Ovate, slightly widened behind, black below. Three basal joints of the antennae and legs (the posterior femora 

 excepted) fulvous. Above bluish green ; elytra with a basal depression, entirely impunctate. 



Length 1-1^ line. 



Head impunctate, with a small fovea in front of the eyes ; the frontal tubercles entirely obsolete ; carina much 

 widened anteriorly ; apex of jaws fulvous ; antenna? two thirds the length of the body, the third joint 

 nearly twice as long as the second, terminal joints gradually thickened, piceous, the three basal joints 

 fulvous. Thorax transverse, twice as broad as long, the sides rounded and finely margined ; anterior 

 angles obsolete ; basal sulcation deep and well limited laterally by the longitudinal groove ; surface entirely 

 impunctate ; scutellum black ; elytra widened towards the middle, the base distinctly raised and depressed 

 below the elevation, the entire surface impunctate, of a bluish-green metallic colour ; legs and tarsi fulvous, 

 the posterior femora piceous. 



Hah. Mexico, Cordova (Salle). 



The small size, fulvous legs, and entirely bluish upper surface without any punctuation 

 will distinguish this species, which has all the typical characters of a true Lactica. 

 Three specimens are before me. 



28. Lactica cupreata. (Tab. XVII. fig. 2.) 



Ovate, below black ; above metallic reddish cupreous, entirely impunctate ; antennae black, long ; elytra with 

 a deep basal depression. 



Length If line. 



Head impunctate, with a small fovea in front of the eyes, the latter widely separated ; frontal tubercles very 

 obsolete ; carina strongly raised and widened in front ; antennae two thirds the length of the body, black, 

 the second joint obscure testaceous below, third and fourth joints of equal length ; thorax short, very 

 transverse and rather convex, the sides rounded, anterior angles very obsolete, basal sulcation sinuate and 

 very deep ; elytra much widened behind, rather deeply depressed below the base, entirely impunctate, of 

 a bright metallic cupreous colour ; entire underside and legs black. 



Hah. Mexico (SalU). 



The peculiar copper colour of the upper surface in connexion with the more 

 transverse and convex thorax will separate this species from L. violacea, Jac, to which 

 it is otherwise closely allied. 



29. Lactica godmani. (Tab. XVII. fig. 1.) 



Ovate, below black ; four basal joints of the antennae, legs, head, and thorax fulvous ; elytra metallic reddish 

 cupreous, very finely punctured. 



Length H line- 

 Head with a small fovea near the eyes, extremely finely punctured at the vertex ; frontal tubercles very small ; 

 carina widened anteriorly ; antennae nearly as long as the body, piceous, the four basal joints fulvous, 

 fourth joint nearly twice as long as the third, rest of the joints very elongate and slender ; thorax twice 

 as broad as long, the sides evenly rounded, basal sulcation deep and sinuate ; surface impunctate ; 

 scutellum obscure fulvous ; elytra very slightly widened towards the apex, extremely minutely punctured, 

 of a bright metallic cupreous colour. 



Hah. Panama, Pefia Blanca (Champion). 



This pretty little species may be easily known by the bright metallic copper colour of 

 its elytra, dark underside, and fulvous thorax and legs. 

 biol. centk.-amer., Coleopt., Vol. VI. Pt. 1, April 1884. 2 



