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VI. On some hionomic points in certain South African 

 Lamellicorns. By G. B. Longstaff, M.D., F.E.S. 



[Read February 7th, 1906.] 



Mr. Trimen, in the introductory chapter of his " South 

 African Butterflies," after remarking on the poverty of the 

 BJiajKilocera of the Cape Peninsula as compared with the 

 richness of its Flora, and stating that in that part of 

 the world butterflies cannot perform a very prominent part 

 in the fertilization of flowers, goes on to say : "The great 

 number of densely hairy flower-frequenting Coleoptera in 

 South Africa must also play a large part in plant 

 fertilization." * 



The beetles referred to are chiefly Lamcllicornia of the 

 sub-families Cctoniinm and Hopliinm. 



Cetoniin^. 



As regards the former group, Dr. Dixey and I met with 

 but eight species, being doubtless too early in the season. 

 Of the beautiful gem-like Oxythyrea hiemorrlioidalis, Fab., 

 which was not uncommon on flowers by the banks of the 

 Nahoon and Buffalo Rivers, near East London, I have 

 nothing to remark save that Fabricius might well have 

 given such a beautiful creature a more appropriate name. 



The more dingy Oxythyrea marginalis, Schonh., was first 

 met near Pretoria on the lavender-coloured flowers of a 

 Loganiaceous plant of the genus Buddleia, but at East 

 London it was abundant, occurring sometimes on composite 

 flowers, but mostly on the "Pride of Madeira" {Ecliium 

 fastuosum), a Boragineous plant with a long dense terminal 

 spike of small flowers with prominent stamens. The 

 spikes are from four to six feet high with blue or creamy- 

 white flowers, those in the Queen's Park being all of the 

 latter variety ; they proved very attractive to insects of 

 several orders and especially to the small Oxythyrea mar- 

 ginalis, Schonh. I noticed at the time that this beetle was 

 rendered strangely inconspicuous by the white specks on 



* Op. cit. vol. i, p. 42, iio'.e. 

 TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1906. — PART I. (mAY) 



