182 Mr. J. Nietner on new Ceylon Coleoptera. 



linea longitud. media diviso, cum elytris anguste marginatis ; his 

 profunde striatis. 



Specimina nonnulla mens. Nov. et Decemb. prope Colombo nocte 

 ad lumen cepi. 



Very pretty insects, apparently closely allied to the African 

 genus Bradybanus, Dej., from which, however, they differ in the 

 structure of the ligula and in other minor points. They are 

 quite of the shape of a Harpalus, and I have no doubt that their 

 habits are those of the latter. Joints 4-11 of the antennae have 

 very much the appearance of grains of rice strung together. 

 The metallic green colour with which the insect is adorned on the 

 back is very rich ; on the elytra it forms a pattern of two triangles 

 with their tips downwards, that of the upper one being immersed 

 in the base of the lower one, and the apex of the latter being- 

 divided ; these triangles are flanked on either side by a broad 

 longitudinal belt of yellowish colour. The margin is again 

 green, with the exception of the apex, which is occupied by the 

 yellowish belt. The thorax is green in the centre and yellowish 

 along the sides. The head is more or less brownish green, 

 lighter in the middle ; the mouth is brown. 



U- 68. Zfphium pubescens, N. 



Z. rufo-testaceum, oculis nigris, occipite nigrescente, elytris pubes- 

 centibus fuscis maculis 2 subhumeralibus, et 1 apicali communi 

 testaceis ornatis. Long. corp. 3J lin. 



Antennis art. 1° capitis vix longitudine ; labro integro ; palpis art. 

 ultimo trigono ; menti dente magno, obtuso, profunde canaliculato ; 

 thorace elongato-cordato, capitis latitudine, duplo longiore, medio 

 leviter longitudinaliter depresso ; elytris subtilissime dense pubes- 

 centibus, obsolete striato-impressis, humeris obsoletis. 



Specimina nonnulla in prov. occid. nocte ad lumen cepi. 



This description does not quite agree with LacordaireY 

 It diagnosis of the genus Zqphium ; the labrum and the tooth of the 



mentum are not what they ought to be according to this author. 

 However, Schmidt-Goebel, in his ' Col. Birm./ has already de- 

 parted from Lacordaire's formula by describing six species of 

 U-l Z^phium with an entire mentum-tooth, which, according to the 

 I former author, would make them Polystichi rather. The fact 

 is, that this part of the labium appears to be variable. In all 

 other respects the insect agrees with Lacordaire's description of 

 the genus. 



The labrum is entire ; the first antennal joint is hardly as 

 long as the head, slightly curved, and increasing in thickness 

 towards the tip ; the second joint is very small and rounded, 

 the rest are subequal, filiform ; the tooth of the mentum is very 



