N0.1119. PROCEEDINGS OF THE XATIOXAL MrSEUM. 699 



2. CYBISTER TRIPUNCTATUS, Olivier. 



This species belongs to the most highly developed group of carnivo- 

 rous water beetles, where the limit of the species is rather opinionative. 

 As Doctor Sharp, in his monograph mentioned above, has restricted it, 

 its range is very wide, from Senegal to the Cape, and along the east 

 coast of Africa to South Europe, and through southern Asia to China 

 and Japan in the north, and over the whole of Australasia to Australia. 

 C. cincfus, Sharj), its representative on Madagascar, he doubtfully con- 

 siders a distinct species. He reviews carefully the races and generalizes 

 them into four principal ones: (1) An Asiatic form also occurring in 

 Australia, (2) an Archipelagic form from Malay Archii)e]ag<), occurring 

 also on Bourbon and I\e de France, (3) a sporadic form on the Philij)- 

 pine islands and certain parts of Malay Archij)elago, and (4) an African 

 form. Examples of the last were collected by the Chanler-Hcehnel 

 expedition on the Tana lliver. They arc large, oval, with broad yellow 

 margin, exactly similar to others before me from the Cape and Loanda. 



The six examples collected by Doctor Abbott on Aldabra are all 

 small, ovate, and with narrow margin, exactly like a large series from 

 Japan before me. Thus, it is remarkable to see that the Asiatic variety, 

 occurs here, while the large broad Archipelagic form is recorded from 

 Bourbon and He de France. 



3. PHiEOCHROUS INSULARIS, new species. 



Ovate, convex, above piceous black, margin ciliate with long rufous 

 hairs ; ventral surface and legs rufocastaneous, rufohirsute. Head hnely 

 l^uuctulate, abruptly and strongly constricted a little before the eyes. 

 Clypeus continuous with the front, sides distinctly margined, slightly 

 convergent; apex subtruncate. Labrum strongly transverse, coarsely 

 punctate, broadly emarginate. Thorax at base twice broader than long, 

 surrounded with an entire margin; sides not deplanate, arcuately 

 narrowed to the apex; anterior angles acute, posterior angles rec- 

 tangular, with rounded apex; base broadly sinuate on each side; disk 

 sparsely and finely punctulate, nearly smooth at the middle. Scutellum 

 oblong, sparsely punctate. Elytra at base not broader than thorax, 

 arcuately widened and broadest behind the middle ; sides not explanate ; 

 apices separately rounded; disk moderately finely, dilfusedly punctate; 

 sutural stria impressed but the others indistinct. Anterior tibiii? tri- 

 dentate, serrulate even between the teeth ; upper tooth small, the two 

 apical teeth long, recurved. Length, 8 to 9 mm. 



Male : Tarsi incrassate, claws broadly appendiculate at base. 



Tijpe.—^o. 581, U.S.K.M. 



Doctor Abbott collected one male and three females of this Scara- 

 bfeid on Aldabra Island. It resembles in form P. heccarii, Harold, from 

 tropical East Africa, but is much smaller. The margins are not 

 explanate and the sculpture is diflereut. A moderate number of 



