BY THE REV. T. BLACKBURN. 131 



(ATERPIN^. 



Medicasta. 



According to Mr. Pascoe's tabulation of genera of Aterpincn 

 {Journ. L. Soc, 1871), Medicasta differs from Ethemaia by its 

 parallel-sided tarsi. On reference to the diagnosis of the former 

 no comparison with Ethemaia is found there beyond a remark 

 that the two genera are obviously related to each other, — but the 

 eye being covered above by its orbit (mentioned in the diagnosis) 

 is evidently a distinctive character. Some years later Mr. Pascoe 

 published the name of another allied genus, — Hyphceria, — which 

 he characterised far too briefly, merely remarking " characters as 

 in Ethemaia, but 3rd tarsal joint not bilobed " ; and in the 

 description of the species, he says that the sides of the head 

 project slightly over the eye. Hence Medicasta and Hyphif.ria 

 must be very close to each other and have not been distinguished 

 inter se. There is, therefore, a doubt incapable of determination 

 whether the following species is a Medicasta or a Ilyphceria, but 

 it agrees with the diagnosis of the former, except that the sides 

 of the head are not dilated so as to cover the eyes more than 

 partially ; the eyes nevertheless are but little prominent. 



Medicasta lugubris, sp.nov. 



Oblonga ; piceo-nigra ; antennarum scapo basi curvato quam 

 funiculus parura breviori, hujus articulo basali sat crasso 

 parum elongato, 2° multo graciliori vix breviori, ceteris panllo 

 brevioribus ; rostro quam caput vix breviori huic (oculis 

 exceptis) latitudine fere sequali, quam antennarum scapi 

 longitudo vix angustiori, supra longitudinaliter 4-sulcato, 

 sulcorum interstitiis elevatis (interstitio mediano minus 

 fortiter), carinis ita formatis abrupte ad rostri basin desinen- 

 tibus ; prothorace subcylindrico vix transverso, antice leviter 

 constricto, supra insequali, crasse nee crebre rugulose punctu- 

 lato, antice quam postice paullo angustiori, basi bisinuata ; 

 elytris leviter striatis, striis sat crasse nee crebre punctulatis, 



