of some Exotic Lamellicorn beetles. 35 



Lecoute as an Ochodceus* and was subsequently placed 

 by him as a distinct tribe between the Acantliocerini and 

 Trogini. Subsequently, however, as we learn from Major 

 Parry's note in the Proceedings of the Entomological 

 Society above referred to, Dr. Leconte intimated his 

 dissatisfaction as to the correctness of his previously-re- 

 corded views, suggesting that it might possibly be better 

 placed among the Lucanoidea,'\ an opinion subsequently 



* The following is Dr. Leconte's detailed description of this insect : — 

 " JVicagus ohscurus is the only member of this tribe {Nicagini') known to 

 me. It is an oval convex insect, more than a quarter of an inch long, 

 brown, densely punctured, and covered with very short pale hair. It re- 

 sembles in appearance some of the Sericce, or a nearly smooth Trox. It 

 is found throughout the Atlantic district. The head is rounded, mode- 

 rately convex, the front finely margined ; the labrum is broadly rounded, 

 hairy; the mandibles short, pyramidal, not very prominent; the mentum is 

 thick, triangular, hairy, pointed in front; the palpi short, the last joint 

 oval. The antennae are 10-jointed, the club 3-jointed, longer in the male 

 than in the female. The anterior coxaj are large, conical, prominent, the 

 middle ones nearly contiguous, oblique ; the epimera of the mesothorax 

 attain the coxse. The elytra cover the pygidium. The abdomen has five 

 free ventral segments. The legs are normal in form ; the anterior til>ia3 

 are 4-toothed, the middle and hind ones gradually thickened towards the 

 tip in the female, but slender in the male, with one small sharp tooth and 

 some small denticles on the outer face ; the spurs of the hind tibias are 

 acute in the male, obtuse in the female ; the tarsi are long and slender in 

 the male, but shorter and stouter in the female ; the onychium is narrow, 

 and bears two long bristles, as in Lncanidce. 



" I have been very much at a loss where to place this curious insect. The 

 joints of the club of the antennas do not appear to be capable of being 

 brought into absolute contact, as in other Soavaljce'ulcp, and the club there- 

 fore appears pectinate. I was therefore inclined to consider it as allied to 

 the European JEsaluii, among the Lucanidce, which genus it resembles 

 somewhat in form ; but the small size of the oral organs, and the triangular 

 mentum, have induced me rather to place it as a tribe of the Laparostict 

 Scaraho'.idce, and the position here given it well corresponds both with its 

 external form and Melolontliine sexual characters. Of its habits I know 

 nothing." 



•f In the Proceedings of theEnt. Soc, 7th Feb. 1870, p. Ill, it is recorded 

 that " Major Parry states that, on his recent visit to this country. Dr. Leconte 

 presented him with a specimen of this insect, intimating that he was not 

 satisfied as to the position he had assigned to Nicagus, namely, among the 

 Scarahceoidea, between AcanthoceTUs and Trox, and suggesting that it 

 might possibly be better placed among the Lucauoidea. The specimen 

 had been carefully examined by Major Pairy and Mr. Charles Waterhouse, 

 but as regarded the principal character of the antennoe of the Lucanoidea, 

 the immoveability of the leaflets of the clava, it was found that in Nlcagns 

 the leaflets were slightly moveable ; in this respect, however, Mr. Water- ' 

 house found it to agree wath some Australian species of Ceratognathiis, 

 and, on examining the mouth, he could not detect anything by which it 

 could be separated from the Lucanoidea, whilst the penicillate maxillaj 

 were alone sufiicient to separate it from the Trogid.a? (ibid. p. ix.). Pro- 

 fessor Westwood said that he had examined Major Parry's specimen of 

 Nicagus ohscurus, and without saying to what group of Lamellicorns 

 the genus was properly referable, he felt clear that it did not belong to 

 any of the Lvcanoid families." 



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