BY THE REV. T. BLACKBURN. • 729 



less strongly rounded than in liopUura, and behind the middle are 

 scarcely sinuated (in liopleura they are decidedly sinuate, in sul- 

 ccUijjes not at all) ; the hind angles are obtuse but not far from 

 rectangular, without the slightest indication of a tooth directed out- 

 ward (in sidcatlpes they are much more obtuse, making an angle 

 of about 60°, in liopleura they are distinctly dentate and directed 

 outward) ; the 2 longitudinal sulci at the base on either side are 

 better defined and more distinct from each other than in either 

 liopleura or sulcatipes, the space separating them being almost on 

 the same plane as the general surface of the prothorax. The 

 striae of the elytra are almost as in sulcatij^es being more strongly 

 impressed than in liopleura^ but the shoulders resemble those of 

 liopleura being less produced forward than in sulcatipes. 



I do not think that this insect is identical with any of those 

 previously described, though it is difficult to be sure owing to the 

 deplorably inferior quality of the descriptions of most of them. 

 Here is an example : — if it is desired to ascertain whether a given 

 specimen is R. cyatliodera, Chaud., one turns to the description, 

 so-called, of that insect and finds no actual description, but only a 

 few notes on its diflferences from other species, commencing (I 

 translate the Latin) " differs from Icevilatera in its much wider 

 and shorter prothorax, &c., &c.,^' but no positive statement of 

 characters. Thus referred back again to Icevilatera one turns up 

 that species and reads again no positive description, but "differs 

 from liopleura in its narrower prothorax, not narrowed behind, 

 &c., &c." This reminds one of "the House that Jack built," the 

 prothorax of cyathodera being thus described as "wider and shorter 

 than that of Icevilatera which is narrower than that of liopleura'^^ 

 and from this tangle it would require a clearer mind than mine to 

 evolve the prothorax of R. cyatliodera. In this confusion I fear at 

 the risk of being prolix that I must conclude by giving my reasons 

 for not identifying R. Bovilli with any previously described 

 species. From liopleura sucid sidcatipes I have already distinguished 

 it ; Icevilatera is said to have the 5th stria on the elytra "omnino 

 ohliterata" and the external basal sulcus of the prothorax less 

 defined that in liopleura; cyathodercL is said to be an iridescent 



