( 524) 



Melasoma discoidale sp. nov. 



Oblong-ovate, falvons, disc of thorax impuuctate, sides finely pnnctnred, 

 elytra closely and distinctly pnnctnred, black, a broad transverse band at the 

 middle, widened at the snture, fulvous. 



Length 3 lines. 



Head impnnctate with a depression between the eyes, antennae slightly 

 extending beyond the thorax, fulvous, the terminal joints fuscous, transversely 

 widened, the third joint slender ; thorax rather more than twice as broad as long, 

 the anterior margin concave, the sides nearly straight, the disc impnnctate, the 

 sides with some very fine punctures; scutellum fulvous; elytra wider at the 

 base than the thorax, slightly widened towards the middle, distinctly and closely 

 pnnctnred, black, this colour interrupted by a broad transverse fulvous baud at 

 the middle, which is widened towards the suture, the lateral margin thickened 

 and smooth, its outer edge fulvous at the middle ; underside and legs fulvous. 



Hab. Sierra Leone. 



I have only seen two specimens of this species ; one, contained in my 

 collection is evidently immature, being paler in coloration ; the elytra may also be 

 described as fulvous with a piceous band at the base and another near the apex ; 

 the amount of black or fulvous is probably very variable in different individuals. 



Melasoma unicolor sp. nov. 



Entirely testaceous or pale fulvous, head finely punctured, thorax nearly 

 impnnctate except at the sides, elytra closely and distinctly punctured ; the lateral 

 margin thickened with a single row of punctures. 



Length 3J lines. 



Of elongate, nearly parallel shape, the head finely and sparingly punctured, 

 without any frontal elevations, antennae only extending to the base of the thorax, 

 entirely fulvous or testaceous, the basal three joints shining, the others opaque, 

 transverse ; thorax more than twice as broad as long, the sides nearly straight and 

 parallel, the anterior angles slightly rounded, the surface impnnctate, with the 

 exception of a few punctures near the lateral margin ; elytra broader at the base 

 than the thorax, very closely, rather finely but distinctly punctured, the lateral 

 margin thickened, with a row of punctures near its extreme edge. 



Hah. Kuilu, and Sierra Leone (coll. Jacoby). 



I cannot look upon this species as identical with ^[. spinata Karsch, altliough 

 it seems closely allied ; the description given by Karsch is too short and superficial, 

 and no mention is made of the punctuation of the thorax ; the anthor also speaks 

 of a long prosternal spine, which does not seem to suggest Melasoma as the right 

 genns wherein to place his species, and of which there is no trace in M. unicolor. 

 In a specimen from Sierra Leone in my collection tlie thorax has an obsolete 

 depression at each side. 



Melasoma lividum Stiil. 



Ab. ? Elj'tra black, rest of the body juile fnlvous. 

 Hab. Kuilu. 



I am not able to separate with certainty specimens from the above locality 

 from those of Sierra Leone which agree with Stal's description. This author based 



