142 Zoological Society. 



Much smaller than N. Iccvis, and of a shorter and more rounded 

 form. The upper surface of the head is very thickly punctured 

 throughout, and the punctures run into each other so as to form 

 irregular rugae. The thorax is twice as broad as long, and has a deep 

 and almost semicircular emargination in front ; the anterior angles 

 are acute, and the posterior angles are obtuse, and not produced as 

 in many species of the genus, the hinder margin of the thorax pre- 

 senting a nearly straight, or but very slightly waved line : the 

 broadest part of the thorax is near the posterior angles, the narrow- 

 est part is in front, and the lateral margins are rounded in such a 

 manner that the thorax might almost be described as semicircular, 

 and having the fore-part emarginated. The whole upper surface of 

 the thorax is covered with small but distinct grooves, leaving convex 

 ridges between them about equal in width to the grooves ; these 

 furrows are longitudinal in their direction, or very nearly so, except- 

 ing in the fore-part, where they diverge from the mesial line and 

 run up to the anterior margin, and at the sides of the thorax, where 

 the grooves are irregular, but have a tendency to a transverse dispo- 

 sition. The under side of the thorax presents similar longitudinal 

 grooves, excepting in the middle, where it is rugosely punctured ; 

 scattered hairs cover this under surface of the thorax ; and towards 

 the lateral margin the hairs, which are moderately long, are much 

 more numerous and form a projecting fringe, which is visible when 

 the insect is viewed from above. The elytra are of a short ovate 

 form, about one-fourth broader than the thorax, and scarcely one- 

 fifth longer than broad ; the apical portion is but little produced : 

 the upper surface is convex, and is thickly covered with small con- 

 fluent punctures, amongst which minute tubercles are scattered; 

 towards the lateral keel, which is very little prominent, the tubercles 

 are distinct. The sculpturing of the portion of the elytra beneath 

 the keel resembles that above it, but here the tubercles give origin to 

 small hairs*. The meso- and metasternum present irregular ruga?. 

 On the first and basal half of the second abdominal segments are 

 distinct longitudinal rugae, and a slight trace of similar rugae is ob- 

 served at the base of the third segment ; on other parts of these seg- 

 ments are some minute scattered punctures. The terminal segment 

 is rather thickly though finely punctured. The legs are clothed with 

 longish ash-coloured hairs. 



Nyctelia nodosa, Latr. Zophosis nodosa, Germar ? 



Five specimens of this species are contained in the collection of 

 Mr. Darwin, and these are from three different localities, viz. Mal- 

 donado (La Plata), Bahia Blanca, and Mendoza. 



Nyctelia angustata. Nyct. atra, elongata, nitida; capite distincte 

 punctato et tranversim impresso ; antennis piceis ; thorace subqua- 

 drato, lateribus fere rectis, antice emarginato, suprd, punctis mi- 

 nutissimis ; elytris subelongatis, et cum thorace quoad latitudinem 

 fere cocequalibus, costis aliquantb irregularibus subelevatis inter- 

 stitiis rugulosis, ad latera plicis transversalibus. 



* Probably similar hairs originally sprang from the tubercles on the 

 upper surface, but have been worn off. 



