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Couti-lhiitions to a l-iunrledge of tin' Coleoptei;a of Mcuhvjascar \ 

 l)y CiiAS. O. Watkrhouse. 



The British IMuseum has recently acquired a small but most 

 interesting collection of Coleoptera from Madagascar. The 

 specimens were collected in the neighbourhood of Fianarantsoa, 

 the capital of the Betsileo country, directly south of Antanan- 

 arivo, by the liev. ^Y. Deans Cowan. Besides several new 

 species of Cetoniidw, an account of which has already appeai-ed 

 (Ent. Mo. IMag. September, 1878), the collection coiit;uned 

 several examples of Arrliythnuis and Legisticus, remarkable 

 neAv genera of Longicorns described by myself in a paper read 

 before the Entomological Society at a recent meeting. The, e 

 are also very numerous specimens of Artelida (Toxotns) seri- 

 Cf)tf<, Guerin, showing great variation in size (7 to 11 ~ lines); 

 many of the examples have brownish elytra. 



CARABID^E. 



Drijpta iris, Castln., Hist. Nat. i, p. 34. 



This species is only known to me ivom description, and I am 

 in doubt as to whether the specimen sent by Mr. Cowan is the 

 same. It differs in coloration ; the head and thorax A^ery 

 strongly, irregularly and rather thickly punctured ; the thorax 

 is two-thirds longer than broad, subparallel in front, gently 

 constricted behind, there is an extremely fine median line. The 

 elytra are very strongly striate, and the striie are very strongly 

 jnmctured, the interstices are moderately convex (subcostiforra 

 towards the sides) microscopically transversely coriaceous, with 

 a stray pimcture here and there ; the apex of each is oblicpiely 

 truncate, the external angle of the truncature is a distinct tooth. 

 The underside and the legs are teneous. The head and thorax 

 are coppery, the elytra uniform purple. 



A very distinct s|)ccies, not only on account of the colour, 

 but the almo.st impunctute interstices readily separate it fron'^ 

 its allies. 



