54 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL. MUSEUM vol.65 



After examining a large series of specimens from both Cuba and 

 Jamaica, it seems advisable to separate the form found in Jamaica 

 from the typical torquata^ and give it a new varietal name. 



PSILOPTERA (LAMPETIS) AURIFEK (Olivier) 



Buprestis aurifer Olivieu, Entoniol., vol. 2, geu. 32, 1790, pp. 13-14, pi. 9, 

 fig. 95.— Herbst, Nat. Syst. Ins. Kiifer, vol. 9, 1801, p. 185, pi. 140, fig. 7. 



Bupreistis aurifera Fabiucius, Syst. Eleuth., vol. 2, 1801, p. 191. — Schon- 

 HERR, Syn. Ins., vol. 1, pt. 3, 1817, p. 219. — Jacquelin Duval, in Ramon 

 de la Sagra's Hist. Phys. Polit. et Nat. de I'ile de Cuba, Anim. Artie, 

 1857 (French Edition), p. 58; (Spanish Edition) vol. 7, 1857, p. 27. 



Psiloptera aurifera Chevrolat, Ann. Soe. Ent. France, ser. 4, vol. 7, 1867, 

 pp. 575-576 (separates pp. 151-152). — Gundlach, Contribucion a la 

 Entom. Cuba, vol. 3, pt. 5, 1891, pp. 158-159. 



Psiloptera amethy. ■stipes Castelnau and Gory, Mon. Bupr., vol. 2, 1837, 

 Buprestis, p. 37, pi. 9, fig. 43. 



Psiloptera tourtembergi Mannerheim, Bull. Soc. Imp. Nat. Moscou, vol. 

 10, No. 8, 1837, pp. 49-50.— Dejean, Cat. Coleopt, 2 ed. 1833, p. 76; 

 3 ed., 1836, p. 86. 



Psiloptera aurifer Kerremans, Mon. Bupr., vol. 5, 1910, pp. 57-58. 



Form broadly elongate, attenuate and broadly rounded in front, 

 and more acuminate posteriorly; head golden-green; pronotum 

 dark green, with a strong purplish tinge , the depressions golden- 

 green and arranged as follows: A longitudinal median one, broader 

 posteriorly and feebly interrupted in front of middle, a rather 

 broad one on each side along anterior margin, a narrow one along 

 lateral margin but not reaching to the posterior angles, and a 

 transversely oblique one behind the middle; scutellum and elytra 

 dark green, with a strong purplish tinge, the latter without marginal 

 grooves, but with numerous irregular transverse impressions, which 

 are aureo-cupreous ; beneath aeneo-viridis, with the reliefs of a 

 beautiful violaceous color. 



Head nearly flat, surface strongly, irregularly rugose on the me- 

 dian parts, the elevations broadly convex, smooth and shining on 

 top, there is a rather wide even area along the margin of the eyes, 

 which is densely, coarsely punctate, surface also densely clothed with 

 long semi-erect hairs, and usually covered with a dense pale yellow 

 pulverulence; epistoma broadly, but not deeply arcuately emargi- 

 nate in front, and with an obtuse tooth on each side of the emargi- 

 nation. Pronotum one and three-fourths times as wide as long, 

 slightly narrower in front than behind, middle and base about 

 equal in width; sides feebly arcuately rounded from anterior mar- 

 gin to near base, then obliquely expanded to the posterior angles, 

 which are acute; anterior margin arcuately emarginate, with a 

 broadly rounded median lobe; base feebly bisinuate, with the me- 

 dian lobe very broad and feebly rounded; lateral margins strongly 



4 



