SCEPTIC us. 63 



here scarcely broader than the tliorax, tlie elevated bnsal margin 

 distinctly narrower than the base of the thorax, very sloping 

 behind and only steeply declivous right at the apex, the apex 

 itself apparently produced downwards owing to a sinuation in the 

 lateral margin just before it ; stria S abbreviated at some distance 

 from the base and 9 just behind the median coxa?. The iuial 

 segment with an oblique impressed line on each side at the base. 



" I have only one $ before me. The insect presents a very 

 characteristic appearance on account of the hind margin of the 

 thorax being broader than the base of the elytra." 



Lenc/th, 6 mm. ; breadth, 1'7 mm. 



SiKKiM : Darjiling. 



Tyj^e in the Dresden Museum. 



I have not seen the unique specimen of this evidently very 

 distinct species, and the above is a translation of Faust's 

 description. 



Genus SCEPTICUS. 

 Scepticiis, Roeloffs, Ann. Soc. Ent. Belgique, 1873, p. 158. 



Type, Scepticus insularis, EoelofFs (Japan), 



Head with the eyes quite lateral, almost circular and prominent, 

 forehead as broad as the base of the rostrum. Rostrum deflected, 

 longer than the bead and continuous with it, very slightly emargi- 

 nate at the apex ; the scrobes broad and deep, scarcely dilated and 

 curving downwards close beneath the eye ; mandibles rather pro- 

 minent, the scar projecting. Antennoi with the scape cylindrical, 

 clavate and reaching the middle of the eye ; the funicle with the 

 two basal joints more elongate, 3-6 subequal and bead-like, 7 

 larger and subconical, the club ovate and 4-jcinted, the first joint 

 much longer than the second. Protliorax truncate at the base 

 and apex, the latter narrower, the sides rounded, the gular margin 

 distinct!}^ sinuate, the coxae slightly nearer the front margin of 

 the prosternum. Scutellum very small. Elytra raarginate at the 

 Imse, the margin scarcely raised, the shoulders sloping and with- 

 out a humeral prominence, tlie lateral margin scarcely or very 

 shallowly sinuate. Sternum with the epimera of the mesosternum 

 much smaller than their episterna, and scarcely se|>arating them 

 from the base of the elytra ; the metasternum slightly shorter 

 than the median coxae, the episterna fused v^ith it so that no 

 suture is visible, the episterna themselves mostly hidden beneath 

 the elytra, but with the dilated anterior piece exposed and distinct, 

 the hind coxae reaching the elytra. Venter with the iutercoxal 

 piece truncate and about as broad as the coxae, segment !2 longer 

 than 3 + 4 and separated from 1 by a curved suture of even depth. 

 Legs moderate, the femora slightly clavate, the front pair not 

 thickened ; the front tibia) only slightly curved and not denti- 

 culate, the hind pair straight, with its corbels large, triangularly 

 dilated, narrowly enclosed, slightly ascending the dorsal edge and 



