132 Mr. A. Murray on Coleoptera from Old Calabar. 



suggested by Prof. Lacordaire as possibly a good character by 

 which to distinguish Epomis from Chlcenius'^ ; but the palpi are 

 not more securiform than those of some other Chlceniij and it 

 wants the yellow margin of the elytra. 



5. Ch. Fairmairei, mihi. 



Gapite virescentiet thorace viridi, nitidis ; thorace subquadrato^ 

 sparsim punctato ; elytris obovatisj subconvexis, nigris^ punc- 

 tato-striatis, interstitiis impunctatis ; subtus niger ; pedibus 

 rufescentibus. 



Long. SJ lin., lat. 3^ lin. 



Head virescent w^ith feeble violet reflexions, impunctate or 

 nearly so, faintly wrinkled here and there, chiefly transversely; 

 the usual anterior foveas effaced, or only visible in particular 

 lights ; clypeus virescent, narrowest in front, slightly emargi- 

 nate, with a puncture near each corner before and behind; 

 labrum distinctly emarginate; antennae piceous, basal joints 

 paler; remaining parts of mouth piceous; palpi slender; men- 

 turii with an elongate deep hollow on each side of the median 

 tooth, but scarcely forming a distinct pit. Thorax subquadrate, 

 narrowed both before and behind nearly equally, broadest about 

 the middle, broadly bat not deeply emarginate at the base; 

 posterior angles rounded and obtuse; dorsal line distinct, reach- 

 ing nearly to the front, but not to the base; green with a bluish 

 tinge ; sides margined ; smooth, shining, and with a few rather 

 large punctures scattered sparingly and irregularly over the sur- 

 face ; a deep basal longitudinal impression on each side of the 

 dorsal line, extending obliquely outwards and backwards, from 

 the anterior end of which a fainter curved impression extends 

 obliquely outwards and forwards. Scutellum impunctate. Elytra 

 obovate, somewhat convex, except on the disk, which is slightly 

 depressed, black, deeply punctate-striate, the interstices narrowest 

 towards the sides and apex, convex and impunccate ; apex slightly 

 emarginate ; marginal space granulose towards the apex, with 

 variolose fovea along the space. Under side black ; prosternum 

 deeply and coarsely punctate in the centre; pleura or side pieces 

 smooth, with one or two coarse punctures; mesosternum and 

 epipleura thickly punctate, and the abdominal segments pretty 

 thickly punctuate, most so on the sides. Legs obscurely rufescent. 



* I fear this character must be renounced as of generic value in this 

 group, as I find several species, which cannot otherwise be separated from 

 Chloenius, possessing it, while in others it exists in a greater or less degree. 

 I have observed, however, that wherever it is present in a marked degree, 

 the species have the general aspect of Ejjomis, though they may not 

 have the yellow margins on the elytra, as for instance, the present au 

 several species, from Ilong Kong and the East. 



