BRACHYACANTHA. 187 



Brachyacantha quadrillum, Lee. Proc. Acad. Phil. 1858, p. 89 5 ; Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. iv. p. 378 8 ; 

 Crotch, Rev. Coccin. p. 21 1 7 . 

 Hab. Nokth America, Texas 5 ~ 7 . 



Var. /3. Prothorace flavo, basi fusco-notato. 



Hab. Mexico, Playa Vicente (SallS), Atoyac in Vera Cruz (H. H. Smith). 



Var. y. Elytris macula subapicali deficiente. 



Brachyacantha subfasciata, Muls. Spec. Col. Trim, secur. p. 527 8 ; Crotch, Rev. Coccin. p. 211*. 

 Hab. Mexico 89 . 



Var. I. Elytris nigris, macula apicali flava. 



Brachyacantha erythrura, Muls. Spec. Col. Trim, secur. p. 530 10 ; Crotch, Rev. Coccin. p. 211 ll . 



Hab. Mexico 10 n , Atoyac in Vera Cruz (H. H. Smith), Temax in North Yucatan 



(Gaumer); Guatemala (coll. Gotham) ; Costa Rica (Van Patt en), Volcandelrazu 6000 



to 7000 feet (Sogers). 



Var. e. " Spots confluent, thorax entirely orange, elytra black at the base and with two medial spots black." 

 (Crotch.) 



Brachyacantha tau, Lee. Col. of Kansas and Eastern New Mexico, p. 28 (1859) 12 ; Crotch, Trans. 

 Am. Ent. Soc. iv. p. 378 13 ; Rev. Coccin. p. 212 u . 

 Hab. North America, Fort Riley, Kansas 12-14 . 



The male of this species, besides having the head and legs entirely yellow, has the 

 third ventral segment with the hind margin raised into two tubercles in the middle, 

 the fourth, fifth, and sixth segments each with a semicircular impression forming a sort 

 of fovea. 



I find great difficulty in determining whether certain specimens from various localities 

 in Mexico and Guatemala are to be referred to this species or to B. erythrocephala. 

 When the two anterior spots on the elytra of the latter are united, the colour- 

 distinction is lost, and the more oblong form of this species passes insensibly into 

 that of B. erythrocephala. I have joined B. erythrura, Muls., with B. dentines, as 

 beyond colour there is really no difference; it seems to be a rather scarce variety 

 in which the anterior fascia is obliterated, and intermediate forms occurred with it 

 at Atoyac. For the same reason B. subfasciata is now sunk in a synonym. 



6. Brachyacantha pygidialis. 



Brachyacantha pygidialis, Muls. Spec. Col. Trim, secur. p. 534 1 ; Crotch, Rev. Coccin. p. 212*. 

 Hab. Mexico x 2 , Oaxaca (Salle). 



There are three specimens of this species in the Salle collection. These are of the 

 size of the larger examples of B. dentines, and with the oblong form of that species, 

 but with four distinct and large yellow spots on each elytron, the basal one of which is, 

 in the male, prolonged outwardly so as to extend along the whole of the base ; then 

 follow two median spots (not united) and a subapical spot. In the male the head and 

 thorax are yellow, the base of the latter black for rather more than half its length in 



2B* 2 



