314 ERNEST WAEREX. 



Although a cuticle of considerable thickness is present the 

 ventral surface of tlie protliorax behiud the prosternum is 

 white, soft and flexible, and may be transversely puckered in 

 a complicated manner (PL XVU, fig. 34; PI. xVlII, fig. 45). 



Me so thorax. — The mesonotum is externally represented 

 by the mesotergite or scutum, which is small, subquadrangular 

 and yellowish-brown in colour (fig. 3, sc), and the metatergite 

 or scutellum, which is obscurely present behind. The meso- 

 sternum and mesosternal sternella appear to be represeTited by 

 an area of chitinous plate in front of the coxal pits of the 

 2nd thoracic legs (fig. 2, ms. st.) ; it is continuous behind with 

 the metasternal elements. Mesosternal episternite would 

 appear to be represented by two curved chitinous bars in the 

 coxal pit (fig. 2, m. ep.), while the mesosternal epimeron is 

 not separately distinguishable. 



Metathorax. — ^The line of origin of the ala? marks the 

 front boundary of the metanotum. The acrotergite, proter- 

 gite, mesotergite and metatergite may be supposed to be 

 represented by the peculiarly shaped, thin sheets of chitin 

 hidden under the elytra (fig. 3, mt.). The metasternum and 

 metasternal sternella are fused with the mesothoracic elements 

 to form a continuous ventral exoskeleton. The metasternal 

 episternite (PI. XVII, fig. 27, mt. ep.) is represented by a 

 lateral elongated narrow plate attached to the metasternum ; 

 and the metasternal epimeron is not separately distinguish- 

 able, unless it is represented by a minute sclerite (fig. 2, mi.) 

 in the coxal pit of the 3rd pair of legs. 



The metathoracic spiracle is placed rather far back between 

 the metatergite and metasternal episternite (fig. 1). 



Elytra. — The elytra are sub-rectangular convex structures 

 (PI. XA^II, fig. 29) extending' posteriorh^ a little beyond the 

 metanotum. Short seta3 are sparsely scattered on both 

 surfaces. The elytra are well-adapted for supporting the 

 heavy abdomen ; the posterior edge is thickened on the inner 

 surface and fits into a transverse groove on the dorsal surface 

 of the body immediately behind the metanotum (PI. XVIII, 

 fig. 45). The outer edge of the elytron is sharply bent down- 



