J02 KONOQBAPHICAL ESSAY ON THE 



Shining. Head golden-green, the vertex cyaneous or violaceous- 

 black. Thorax golden-green on the disc , the sides more golden , 

 the base and the median lobe blackish or purplish. Elytra black 

 with cyaneous or violaceous reflections , each of them ornated with 

 a row ot four yellow spots along the suture , the first at the base , 

 the second before the middle , the third below tlie middle , the 

 ourth midv^'ay between the foregoing and the apex, and a row 

 of three spots at the outer margin, their position corresponding 

 with the intervals between the suturai spots , the third one 

 always at a little distance from the mai'gin. Underneath and legs 

 golden-green. 



Head large , swollen , deeply punctured , more sparsely on the 

 vertex, which is slightly fuiTowed; hairy. Pro thorax convex, sides 

 slightly rounded and somewhat narrowed towards the top , the 

 front-margin slightly produced in the centre, narrowly margined 

 along the front and the sides ; strongly punctured , rugosely 

 at the sides ; hairy. Elytra parallel-sided , suddenly narrowed 

 below the middle towards the apex, apices moderately divergent, 

 suturai and marginal spines strong, but short, the humeral fold 

 rather small , somewhat angularly produced ; costate , interstices 

 plain, slightly wrinkled in a transverse direction, each with a 

 row of closely set punctures. Beneath densely punctured , the 

 abdomen very thickly and minutely; clothed with a very delicate 

 silvery pile. 



Variability. This seems to be a pretty constant species, 

 for although I have seen a good number of specimens , I could not 

 find any noticeable variety ; there is only a tendency of the second 

 suturai spot to flow together with the humeral spot. 



Number of specimens examined : seven , in coll. Oberthür and 

 van de Poll. 



45. Astraeus simulator v. d. Poll. — nov. spec. 



Elongatus, nitidus; capite prothoraceque obscure viridi-aeneis , 

 purpurascentibus ; elytris atro-coeruleis , singulis elytris ad lasiti 

 macula magna, ante et post medium f ascia lata, ante apicem macula 



