108 MONOGBAPHICAL ESSAY ON THE 



margined along the front and the sides; deeply but not closely 

 punctured, the punctures becoming larger at the sides, with a 

 faintly impressed median hne; hairy. Elytra gradually narrowed 

 towards the apex , apices strongly divergent , suturai and marginal 

 spines long and acute , the humeral fold large and acutely produced ; 

 costate, interstices plain, moderately transversely wrinkled, each 

 with a row of large distant punctures. Undersurface coarsely 

 punctured, the abdomen more fmely; clothed with an extremely 

 delicate silvery pubescence. 



Variability. The irregular spot below the shoulder is often 

 confluent with the spot near the suture, forming a somewhat 

 zigzag-shaped band (var. Mastersi Mc. L.) ; the fascia below the 

 middle is sometimes interrupted and in some specimens there are 

 small punctiform additional spots almost in the middle close to 

 the suture. 



Number of specimens examined : four of each sex (all the males 

 which have come under my notice belong to the var. Mastersi) , 

 in coll. Oberthiir and van de Poll. 



19. Astraeus splendens v. d. Poll. — nov. spec. 



Elong atus , nitidtcs, caput laete cupretmi; protJwrax lateraliter 

 viridis, ad hasin atro-purpureus , caeterum laete cupreus; elytra 

 atro-coerulea , singula elytra ad hasin magna , atite medium fascia 

 lata , post medium fascia breviore et ante apicem macula parva , 

 flava ornata. Suhtus cmn pedibus dilute viridi-aureus , apice tibiarum 

 et articula primo tarsor^wi testaceis. Caput crebre punctatum, in 

 fronte linea elevata glabra. Protliorax convexus, lateribtis apicem 

 versus rotundato-angustatis , crebre punctatus , subtilins in disco, in, 

 inedio longitîidinaliter paululum itnpressus. Elytra costata , interstitiis 

 planis , distincte punctatis , leviter plicatis; apicibus valde diver- 

 gentibtis , spinis suturalibus lateralibusque validis , acutis. Pars 

 infera confertim punctata, in abdomine suhtilius. Omnino , elytris 

 exceptis ^ pubescentia subtilissima sericea induta. 



Varietali « Ma s ter si Mc. L. » proxima , sed facile distinguenda 

 appendice hnmerali multo longiore et angulatiore. 



