50 [August. 



The flanks or side-pieces of the tliorax are rather largely deTeloped. and their limits 

 and sutures quite distinct ; the prosternum is diyided as above described, by a very 

 deep fossa or depression in the middle, the piece on each side of this depressed 

 middle part is rather large : the front coxfe are moderately distant from one another, 

 being separated by a depressed prosternal process, the form of the coxse themselves 

 I cannot see, but their inner terminations are distinctly exserted. The mesostemum 

 is exposed between the middle coxae, and is emarginate in front, so as to receive the 

 prosternal process and (probably) render the prothorax almost immoveable. The mid- 

 dle coxal cavities are moderately large, irregularly oval, with the slender part outwards, 

 and the embedded coxeb have a small trochantin visible. The metathorax is 

 moderately long, its episterna are large, and almost parallel-sided ; the epimera are 

 minute and triangular, and can be seen at the exti-emities of the coxa and epister- 

 num. The hind coxse are nearly contiguous in the middle, and have a very short 

 but broad upper lamina, which is, however, distinctly broader at its inner portion 

 over the trochanteral articulation ; there is a perpendicular lamina to which the 

 femur and tibia can be closely applied when ilexed, so as to be concealed. There 

 are five rather large ventral segments, the basal one of which sends off a narrow 

 process between the coxal laminae. The tarsi are all five-jointed, the 1st and 

 2nd joints are rather small, the 3rd is very small, but bears a large membranous 

 lobe, extending forwards on the under-face of the foot, the 4th joint is very small, 

 and might, without a careful examination, be supposed to be absent ; the 5th joint is, 

 without the claws, as long as the other four together, the claws are large and simple. 



This extraordinary insect is one of the most interesting of the 

 Coleopiera ; it is undoubtedly allied to Chelonarium, though at first 

 sight it has more the aspect of an Eucnemid ; it departs very widely 

 from Chelonarium by the structure of the autennre, which are similar 

 to those of Cerophytum elateroides^ except that the basal joint is much 

 smaller. I see no other relationshij) except to Chelonarium and Cero- 

 phytum, and, in my opinion, it goes far to settle the position of the 

 latter most remarkable insect, for Cerophytum is just intermediate 

 between Brounia and the Materidat and EucnemidcB. To force any of 

 these interesting insects into the ordinary families of Coleoptera, is to 

 refuse to recognise them for what they really are — isolated anomalies, 

 whose relationships, even inter se, are highly jjroblematical. 



Peeicoptus stupidus, n. sp. 



Supra nigro-piceus, nitidus, suhtits cum pedihus piceo-rufus, et [ahdomine 

 e.rceptd) fidvo-hirsiitus ; prothorace transversa, elytris angustiore,inipunctato ; 

 elytris obsolete punctatis, et vix perspicue sulcatis ; pygrdio ntrinque parce 

 punctata. Long. 18 — 22 mm., lat. 11 — 12^ mm., alt. 8^ — 9| mm. 



3f as, prothorace in medio pone marginem anteriorem obsolete tuberculato, 

 et in medio indeterminate depresso. 



Fem., prothoracis tuberculo et depressione cpgre distinguendibus. 



Head rough over all the upper surface, on the middle indefinitely transversely 



