LEMA. af 
the base. The head in the latter is frequently marked with black between the antenne. 
Some of the specimens before me, however, I am not able to refer with certainty to either 
species, and it is very doubtful whether the present insect is anything but a local variety 
of L. plumbea. Lacordaire gives Bahia as the locality for L. pudens. 
55 (a). Lema eremita. 
Rufous, the antenne (the first joint excepted) black; thorax scarcely constricted at the sides, longer than 
broad; elytra distinctly depressed below the base, dark blue, strongly punctured, the interstices costate at 
the apex, the ninth row of punctures interrupted. 
Length 2 lines. 
Head not constricted behind, impunctate, rufous; the eyes not deeply notched; the labrum black; antenne 
half the length of the body, black, the first joint rufous; thorax slightly longer than broad, the sides very 
little constricted at the middle, the basal sulcation moderately deep, the surface impunctate, rufous; 
scutellum rufous; elytra with a small but rather deep depression below the base, the punctuation very 
regular and more deeply impressed anteriorly than towards the apex, the interstices costate behind, the 
ninth row of punctures interrupted for a short distance below the middle; underside and legs rufous, the 
tibie slightly darker at the apex. 
Hab. Mexico, Tuxtla, San Miguel, Vera Cruz (Sailé), Jalapa (Hoge); Bririsu 
Hoypvras, R. Hondo (Blancaneaur). 
It will be comparatively easy to distinguish L. eremita from other similarly-coloured 
species, on account of the feebly constricted thorax and the distinct basal depression of 
the elytra in connection with the rufous underside and legs. Amongst the small species 
with blue elytra L. eremita differs entirely in the shape of its thorax. 
55 (B). Lema illigeri. 
Rufous, the antenne (the first two joints excepted) black; thorax subquadrate, slightly constricted; elytra 
without basal depression, dark metallic blue, strongly punctured, the ninth row slightly interrupted 
below the middle. 
Length 2 lines. 
Head impunctate, with a short central fovea, the lateral grooves deep, the eyes but slightly notched; antennz 
about half the length of the body, fuscous, the lower two and the base of the third and fourth joints 
fulvous; thorax scarcely longer than broad, very slightly constricted at the middle, the basal groove 
distinct in the centre only, the surface impunctate; scutellum fulvous; elytra subcylindrical, without 
depression below the base, closely and coarsely punctate-striate, the interstices strongly longitudinally 
costate behind, the ninth row very slightly interrupted below the middle; underside and legs rufous, the 
apices of the tibize and the tarsi stained with fuscous. 
Hab. Mexico, Temax in N. Yucatan (Gaumer). 
L. illigeri seems closely allied to L. eremita, but differs from this and several other 
similarly-coloured species in the want of an elytral depression below the base and in 
the not very distinctly interrupted ninth row of punctures. The last-named character, 
generally so well-marked in the species of Lema belonging to the second division of 
Lacordaire, is here very indistinct (the extent of the interruption being confined to 
about the length of two punctures); this character, therefore, in connection with the 
slightly constricted thorax and the deep punctures of the elytra, the latter without 
