628 Transactions South African Philosophical Society, [vol. xii. 



British Bechuanaland. This is the widest range known of any of 

 the South African Hopliinje. 



If we follow the 30th parallel and compare the Hopliinjs found 

 in the west with those met with in the east we are immediately 

 sti-uck by the absence of Pachi/cneviini, except Ericsthis, the paucity 

 of HeterocJielides, and the great number of Scclophysidcs represented 

 by the species of the genus Monochelus. Not that the latter genus 

 is not I'epresented in the west, but the number of the western 

 species is less, and their facies is different. This also holds good 

 in the Transvaal, where, however, the species, with a few excep- 

 tions, are the same as those found in Natal, but, I am told, in smaller 

 numbers. One genus with only one species {Outeniqua festiva) is 

 the only Scelophysid known to occur in Mashunaland. It seems, 

 however, to have a wide range, for it has been found at Lourenco- 

 Marquez, in the Transvaal, and British Bechuanaland. 



The species of the group Hoplidcs seem to be much rarer in the 

 western than in the eastern part ; out of 12 genera and 29 species 

 3 genera and 7 species only are restricted to the south-western 

 part of the Cape Colony. 



The sexual characters of the male are the only ones which permit 

 of the identification of the species, owing to the extraoi'dinary simi- 

 larity of the females among themselves in the group HeterocJielides 

 especially. The shape of the genital armature of the male varies as 

 greatly as in other divisions of the Family. I have not, however, 

 made use of them because the species can be somewhat easily 

 distinguished by other outward characters. As stated before, the 

 iifiinities of the group Hoplidcs lies with the Madagascar fauna, but 

 the Pachycnemini, Heterochclides, and Scclophysidcs are South 

 African. On the West Coast of Africa one species of Pachycncma 

 has, however, been described from Angola '•' as well as one Dichchis 

 from Pvingo Andongo, and in Eastern Africa one Ericsthis and a 

 DicJielus from Tabora, and also one Monochelus from the Ugueno 

 Mountains. 



Tribe PACHYCNEMINI. 



Key to the Genera. 



A"". Hind legs slender, similar in both sexes. 

 B=. Mentum very long and narrow. 



C-. Scutellum moderately rounded at the apex. 



* I have so far seen two species of Pachycnemini from Damaraland. One 

 \Peritriclii(i lUtissiiini) differs in colouring from the other species of the genus. 

 Boheman records also a species of HcterochilUlcs (Dichelus fuspectu.i) from the 

 same part of South Africa. 



