20 OBSERVATIONS ON 



Mel. rorida, to which he has given Sumatra as the native 

 country. Lepidiota Commersonii was originally brought 

 from the Island of Madagascar, by the celebrated botanist 

 Commerson. Possessing insects from both of the above 

 localities, and particularly a specimen named by Fabricius 

 as Mel. rorida, I should have doubted their being identical 

 had I not carefully examined them. It may be remarked, 

 that Lepidiota, as a genus, is common to Asia and Africa, 

 as well as some of the islands adjacent to the two continents. 

 Sp. 4. serrata. Now an Holotrichia of Kirby. For the ge- 

 neric details refer to Hope's Coleopterist's Manual, page 

 99. The species seem from what is known at present, to 

 be peculiar to Asia ; they will no doubt eventually be found 

 in tropical Africa. 

 Sp. 6. villosa. This species, according to M. Laporte, belongs 

 to his genus Anoxia. Vid. Hist. Nat. des Anim. (Articul.,) 

 par Laporte de Castelnau, page 132 ; where the details are 

 published. The following species belong to it, viz. : Mel. 

 orientalis, Ziegler ; Mel. occidentalism Jab ; and matuti- 

 nalis and africana of Laporte. 

 Sp. 9. alopex. Now a Cephalotrichia of Kirby. It is pro- 

 bable that Mel.brunnipennis of Castelneau belongs to this 

 genus. The Platyonix of Dr. Reich (since changed to 

 the name of Sibaris, by Laporte,) seems closely allied to 

 Cephalotrichia, differing chiefly in the form of the clypeus. 

 The family name of Sparmannia has been suggested by 

 the above writer to be given to these Melolonthida. 

 Sp. 10. solstilialis. Latreille gave this species as the type of 

 his genus Rhisotrogus ; the term Amphimallon, which in- 

 cluded under it all the species having nine joints to the 

 antenna, he afterwards re-united to Rhisotrogus. Laporte 

 however, still retains Amphimallon, and singularly enough 

 considers solstitialis one of the species ; while he gives 

 Mel. albus, Jab., and cestivus, Olivier, as examples of Rhi- 

 sotrogus. Such changing of types creates great confusion, 

 and never should be attempted. The Latreillian name 

 ought to be adopted, as originally used. 

 Sp. 12. pint. Now a Microdonta of Kirby ; Vid. details in 

 Hope's Coleopterist's Manual, part 1., p. 105. Various 

 European species belong to it. 

 Sp. 14. oblonga. In the Manual I was induced, on reference 

 to Illiger's Magazine, to consider the Fabrician insect 

 named oblonga, as an Anomala. Olivier's oblonga appears 

 to be more allied to Rhisotrogus. The reference to 

 Schrank's Enum. Insect. Austrice, No. 27, and to Scopoli's 

 Entom. Carniol, No. 19, lead to that conclusion 



