ON THE COLEOPTEROUS GENUS CEROGLOSSUS. 163 



have, during the last ten years, opened up all the beautiful 

 country round Villa-Rica, which, settled by the Spaniards 

 some 200 years ago, was the scene of severe fighting and a 

 general massacre shortly afterwards, and remained in the 

 power of the Indians till quite recently, when it w^as settled 

 without bloodshed. 



With regard to the described species of Geroglossus^ I 

 can hardly form a definite opinion on their number and 

 merits, from want of specimens of many of the supposed 

 species. There is endless variation in the fifty specimens 

 that I have in my cabinets. If we judge by colour the 

 species are infinite, but as far as form and structure go I 

 can hardly find more than half a dozen species. 



G. suiuralis is a good and distinct species, and has the 

 most southern range. 



C. buqueti is well separated from most species by the coarse 

 punctation on the underside of the thorax, and represents a 

 large group of forms that may be varieties, as I believe, or 

 species, as many authors state. These forms exist most 

 commonly towards the coast, and are rare on the mountain 

 slopes. 



G. Valdivi(je is generally larger than huqueti, which it 

 approaches in form, but has the underside of thorax per- 

 fectly smooth. 



G. gloriosus has three or four series of minor, interrupted 

 strigee between the suture and the first elevated line on the 

 elytra. 



G. chilensis, with its blue thorax, is easy to recognise in 

 typical specimens, but I have lately seen several forms that 

 I consider as colour varieties, but that are described as 

 species. 



0. psittacus and several forms resembling it have a velvety 

 surface to the elytra. 



