574 PHYTOPHAGA. 



allied species. The head generally has the vertex, as well as the labrum, piceous ; the 

 antennae have the third and fourth joints of equal length; and the thorax is impunc- 

 tate. The elytra are closely and finely punctured, and have traces of longitudinal 

 sulcations ; the blue spots and lines vary slightly, and the short sutural anterior stripe 

 is sometimes only indicated, while the line at the shoulder is, in one instance, broken 

 up into two spots ; the two subsutural spots are placed in a line before and below the 

 middle. From JV. imitans the present insect is distinguished by the finely punctured 

 (not semi-rugose) elytra ; the markings are more slender, the outer ones being still 

 more elongate and of a lighter blue colour; the interstices between the punctures are 

 obsoletely sulcate, which is not the case in JSf. imitans. 



6. Neobrotica linigera. 



Pale fulvous or testaceous, the head and breast black ; thorax bifoveolate ; elytra closely punctured, testaceous, 

 a short curved stripe at the shoulder, another near the suture at the base, and two short narrow streaks, 

 placed transversely below the middle, bluish-black. 



Length 3-4 lines. 



Head impunctate, black ; antennae fulvous, the third joint nearly three times the length of the second and as 

 long as the fourth joint ; thorax one half broader than long, impunctate, with a deep fovea on each side ; 

 elytra finely and closely punctured, the punctuation arranged somewhat in lines, the two longitudinal 

 stripes at the base abbreviated before the middle, of curved shape, and forming the sides of a ring which 

 is open above and below, the spots below the middle shorter (but as slender as the others), the outer one 

 placed slightly lower than the spot near the suture. 



Hdb. Panama, Bugaba, Volcan de Chiriqui (Champion). 



This species also is closely allied to W. cwruleo-lineata and N. imitans, but differing 

 from both in the absence of the sutural anterior stripe and in the shape of the elytral 

 markings, of which those placed anteriorly are curved and inclined to each other, 

 although open at both ends ; the spots placed below the middle are, on the contrary, 

 nearly straight ; the punctures of the elytra are arranged in close and semiregular lines. 



Ten specimens. 



7. Meobrotica semicostata. (Tab. xxxin. fig. 15.) 



Testaceous; head and thorax impunctate; elytra strongly and closely semipunctate-striate, the interstices 



longitudinally costate, the disc obscure greenish. 

 Length 3 lines. 



Eab. Mexico, Panistlahuaca (Salle). 



The single specimen contained in the Salle collection is of a uniformly pale testaceous 

 colour, the disc of the elytra alone being slightly stained with greenish. In this species 

 the elytra are finely and closely costate throughout, the punctuation of the interspaces 

 being strong, deep, and simple, frequently geminate. Except in the elytral sculpture, 

 N. semicostata does not differ from its allies. 



