46 Mr. Lzacn's Essay on the Genus Melee. 
The principal distinction between this and the following spe- 
cies is very slight ; the thorax of this being more notched and 
margined behind than in M. proscarabeus, and its colour more 
violet. M. similis of Mr. Marsham is certainly no more than a 
variety, differing in having longer elytra, a circumstance often 
occurring in the different species of the genus. 
7. MELOE PROSCARABEUS. 
M. niger, capite thoraceque punctatis, elytris rugosis, lateribus - 
capitis, thoracisque pedibus antennisque violescentibus. 
Tas. VIE Fig. 6. 7. 
Scarabsus molla e > nigra | viola nitens o = ee -- 
| List. Sedul Ang. 392. 27. 
M. proscarabeus, corpore violaceo. Linn. Fn. Sv. 227. 826. 
: * Syst. Nat. ii. 697. 1. 
Fabr. Syst. Ent. 259. 1. 
Fabr. Sp. Ins. ii. 327. 1. 
Mant. Ins. 1. 215. 1. 
Gmel. Syst. Nat. 2017. 1. 
Villars Ent. 1. 397. 1. 
M. proscarabeus, corpore violaceo, scabro. | 
Oliv. iii. no. À5. 5. ‘tab. = f i. 
M. proscarabeus, corpore violaceo. 
ub d Fabr. Ent. Syst. i. b. 517. 1. 
Syst. Eleut. ii. 587. 1. 
M. proscarabeus, corpore suprà atro, subtüs violaceo. 
| Marsh. Ent. Brit.i. 481. 1. 
Long Corp. Maris 1 unc. 2 lin. | | me 
Fom. 1 unc. et 7 lin. 
Obs. Sepe variant staturá minori. 
à Habitat 
