484 CANARTAN COLEOPTERA. 



the soiith of the Roca del Soucilho. Apart from its small bulk, the 

 species may be recognized by its prothorax being convex, compa- 

 ratively rounded both laterally and at the basal angles, and very 

 closely punctured (the punctures being somewhat coarse towards 

 either side, and with a tendency there to become longitudinally sub- 

 confluent — as in the Qnophoto') ; by its elytral stria? being very faint, 

 or nearly obsolete ; and by its legs being rather short and slender. 

 It is also a little more shining than the C. ohlongus, especially the 

 prothorax. 



Fam. 68. PEDINID^. 



Genus 2G9. MELASMA (nov. gen.). 



Genus Heliopatlies affinitate proximum, sed structuia pedum charac- 

 teribusque sexualibus certe distinctum. Corims et instrumenta 

 cibariaiere ut in iUo, ^ed protlioraee ad apicem vix emarginato, ad 

 basin recte truncato, angulis posticis obtusiusculis (nullo modo pro- 

 ductis) ; elytris ad humeros rotundatis, deficientibus, plica hume- 

 rali tenui, superne vix observanda : pedihus gracilioribus, mlcarihus 

 tihialihus multo minoribus ; tihiis anticis baud dilatatis, omnibus (in 

 utroque sexu) intus fere calvis. In maribus, tihiis intus (oculo for- 

 tissime armato) minutissime serratis, anticis ante mediimi spinula 

 minutissima (tegerrime observanda) subtus armatis, tarsis anticis 

 late dilatatis, supra pilosis, subtus densissime spongiosis. 

 A neXcKT/ja, color niger. 



Apart from other features, the greatly dilated fore feet of its males 

 will at once assign this genus to the Pedinidce ; whilst its completely 

 divided eyes, together with the fact of its mentum not being trilobed 

 in front, and the hinder angles of its prothorax not being applied 

 against the base of the elytra (within either shoulder), would aU 

 tend to identify it with Heliopathes. The construction, however, of 

 its legs, in both sexes (though particularly in the males), removes it 

 entirely from that group ; and even the external configuration of its 

 prothorax and elytra — of primary importance in the Pedinidce — gives 

 it a character essentially its own. The former of these is transverse- 

 quadrate, being almost straightly truncated both before and behind 

 —the posterior angles being rather obtuse and without even a ten- 

 dency to be produced, so as to rest against the base of the elytra ; 

 whilst the latter are completely rounded-off at the shoulders, with 

 their humeral plait thin and not at all prominent. It is, however, 

 in the legs that its main peculiarity resides, which are much slenderer 

 than in Heliopathes, and with their fore tibiae not at cdl dilated : the 

 tibial spurs, also, are comparatively minute. This applies equally to 



