420 Mr. 1). Sliai-p's Contributions to tiie 



sides, covered -with fine, straight, longitudinal, elevated 

 lines. Legs slender. 



St. Paulo; a single individual. 



Ohs. — I have also in my collection an individual of this 

 species, which was captured by Mr. Squires near Rio de 

 Janeiro. 



Leptociiikus. 



1 find that considerable confusion exists both as to the 

 generic characters and the specific forms represented hy 

 the nsanQLeptochirus. There are, it seems to me, two dis- 

 tinct forms confounded under the generic name, viz., one 

 in which the anterior coxjc are sejmratcd by a well-de\-c- 

 loped process of the presternum, and another in which this 

 process is absent; L. scoriaceus, and all the Amazonian 

 species here described, belong to the first of these groups, 

 as do also L. laticeps and other species from the tropics of 

 the Eastern hemisphere. On the other hand, a large 

 number of the Eastern species, such as L. eheninus and 

 L. mnndihularis, have the front coxae comparatively elon- 

 gate and exserted, and the division between their cavities 

 quite concealed, so that it is probable they will ultimately 

 be considered generically distinct ; it is to "this latter group 

 that the L. bicornis, Fauv., from Mexico, should be 

 referred. 



The species of the genus as yet described from the New 

 "World are only seven in nnmlDcr, but they are in reality 

 more numerous than has been supposed, for I have at 

 least a dozen imdescribed species from this part of the 

 globe in my own collection. The species, are, however, 

 very difficult to distinguish, from their great similarity, 

 and demand a carefid study before their distinctions can 

 be satisfactorily elucidated. I can only satisfy myself as 

 to four distinct species from the Amazons, two of Avhich 

 I here describe as ncAV. 



1. Leptochirus fontensis, n. sp. Xigerrlmus, nitidus, 

 fronte bi-impressa, clypeo oblique declivo, utrinque acute 

 tuberculato, pone tiiberculam Inpunctato ; abdomine supra 

 fere ini])unctato. Long. corp. (extenso) 8 lin. 



Antennae 2 lin. in length; 10th joint scarcely so long as 

 broad, flead with the two fi-ontal impressions without 

 punctures, or rather each with two very indistinct punc- 

 tures; clypeus descending obliquely from the front, with an 



