180 Mr. D. Sharp's Contributions to the 



part .111(1 tlic sides of the eyes coarsely punctured. Thorax 

 a little broader than the head, a little narrower than the 

 elytra, straight at the sides, and not distinctly narrowed 

 either before or behind, the front angles but little rounded, 

 the hind angles nearly absent ; it is of a shining-tawny 

 colour, M'ith a dorsal row of six small punctures on each 

 side the middle, and with four or five others placed in an 

 irregular row between this and the side. The scutellum 

 is yellowish, finely and rather sparingly punctured. The 

 elytra are about as long as the thorax, of a yellowish 

 colour, finely and sparingly punctured. The hind body 

 is very broad ; it is of a yellowish or tawny colour, ex- 

 tremely finely, moderately closely punctured. The legs 

 are yellow, the middle coxre distant, the lateral margins 

 of thorax Avithout a spiracular membrane. 



Ega ; one specimen. I have ascertained by dissection 

 that it is a male, though there is nothing external to 

 indicate this. 



HOLISUS. 



This peculiar genus at present consists of half a dozen 

 species, to which I now add five new ones. All the 

 species known are South American. The genus was 

 placed by Erichson in the Xantholininl, but is assigned 

 by Kraatz to the Staphijlinini. I have not made a sutH- 

 cient investigation to enaljle me to pronounce an opinion 

 as to its nearest allies, but it appears to me to be as yet 

 a remarkably isolated Ibrm. //. discedens here described 

 differs from the other species in the structure of its hind 

 body, Avhich is more convex, so as to be subcylindric. 



1. Ilolisus depressus, n. sp. Niger, nitidus, depressus, 

 ano rufo, pedibus piceis ; capitc thoracecpe parce fortiter 

 punctatis; clytris crebre sat subtiliter punctatis. Long, 

 corp. 85 lin. 



Antennro nearly black ; 3rd joint a good deal longer 

 than 2nd, 4th and 5th each about as long as broad, 6 — 10 

 very similar to one another, each a little transverse, II th 

 pale at the extremity. Palpi reddish. Head large, 

 rather Ijroader than the thorax, o1)long, quite straight at 

 the sides, on the front ])art with coai-se i)unctures, forming 

 on each side an irregular patch placed in a slight dejn-es- 

 sion; also on each side of the middle with a ])atch of about 

 eleven coarse punctures, also punctured at the sides and at 



