166 CETONIIN^. 



Var. h. cruenta, Pall. 



Like the preceding, but opaque above. 



Malabar; Ceylon: Mauritius, 



Yar. c. 



"Wholly, or almost wholly, black, with \\ hite markings as described 

 above, and shining. 

 Bengal ; Mauritius, 



Var, d. variegata, F. {Ivctuosa, G. & P.). 



Larger and broader ; entirely black and opaque, with white 

 markings as described. 

 Ceylon; Maueitils. 



The range of variation in this species, although exceeded in 

 0. jucunda, which follows, is very remarkable, extending not only 

 to its coloration and the presence or absence of the velvety 

 clothing of the upper surface, but to some extent to its form also, 

 the typical phase being usually smaller and more convex than the 

 other varieties, especially the var, variegata. The occurrence of 

 the latter form in Ceylon and the Madagascan area, and apparently 

 nowhere else, is a remarkable fact, presenting an interesting 

 problem in geographical distribution. An exactly similar dis- 

 tribution is found in the case of Proto'tia aiiricJialcea, F., already 

 dealt with. Both species must be regarded as immigrants into 

 Mauritius from our region, for the endemic Cetoniine fauna of 

 the Madagascan region is a peculiar one, and no representatives 

 of it are found in Asia. 



146. Oxycetonia albopiinctata, 



Cetonia idbojmnctata, I\, Ent. Sysi., Si(j>pl. 1798, p. 129: Syst. 



Eleut. ii, 1801, p. 155. 

 Cetonia histiio, Olir. (nee Fab.), E^it. i, G, 1789, p. 45, pi. 10, 



Gametis histrio, L'unn., Handb. Ent. iii, 1842, p. 364; Schaum, 



Ann. Sue. Ent. France, 1844, p. .373. 

 ^'ar. (iametis bivittata, Burm., Handb. Ent. iii, 1842, p, 363. 



Black and shining, with the pronotum, scutellum, and elytra 

 brick-red and opaque, the circumference of each elytron (inter- 

 rupted in front) and a large discoidal spot, and a narrow lateral 

 patch upon each side of the pronotum, black. There are also 

 white markings, consisting of a narrow line at each lateral margin 

 of the prothorax, a minute spot at the apex of the scutellum, one 

 on each mesosternal epimeron, four at the outer margin of each 

 elytron (the fourth in the apical angle), and a short transverse 

 bar, more or less interrupted, crossing the suture before the 

 middle, four spots placed transversely upon the pygidium, and 

 a single or double series on each side of the body beneath. 



It is moderately elongate, generally a little larger than 0. versi- 

 color and jvcunda, and clothed with yellow hairs at the sides 

 beneath. The head is long, finely and closely punctured, and 



