of the Species of the Genus Pachyrhynchiis. 325 



Var. a. This agrees with the above description, excepting that 

 the scales, instead of being of a dull bluish colour, have a brilliant 

 metallic lustre, chiefly golden green, but intermixed are scales of 

 gold, copper, and azui-e colours. 



Between this variety, and the specimens from which the descrip- 

 tion is taken, are others which are semi-metallic. 



Var. ft. Differs from var. a, in having the denuded areas on 

 the elytra confluent ; but the three forming the anterior band are 

 still distinctly separated from the posterior three. The scales on 

 the thorax, moreover, occupy less space than in var. a. 



In this variety, the denuded spots on the elytra being larger 

 than in var. o, they necessarily contract the scaly portion, and 

 this, by a gradual increase of the naked parts, is by degrees con- 

 tracted (in a series of specimens I have before me) until the elytra 

 might be described as black, with a narrow band of brilliant scales 

 at the base, and running down the outer margin almost to the 

 apex, a second band in the middle, which is also very narrow, and 

 a subapical band interrupted at the suture. The scales on the 

 thorax are here also confined to a narrow mesial transverse line, 

 a very slender longitudinal line connecting this with the hinder 

 margin, and a line on each lateral margin. Again, there are 

 specimens in which the metallic fascia? on the elytra are extremely 

 narrow, and in parts interrupted ; and, lastly, I find individuals 

 in which the central fascia is obliterated, and nearly all the scales 

 from the thorax are wanting. 



All these varieties have brilliant metallic scales. There are 

 one or two others whicli are interesting. One, in which the 

 scales are brilliant metallic green, in whicii the fascial on the 

 elytra, especially the central one (which is moderately broad), 

 are broken up by narrow lines, in the region of the striae of 

 punctures, into oblong spots. Another like the last, but with 

 the fasciae narrower and less metallic. Again, in some speci- 

 mens the scales have less of the metallic lustre, are very narrow 

 and broken up into dots ; and among these some have the scales 

 green and others blue ; and these last completely run into, as it 

 were, the P. moniliferus : and even between moniUferus and 

 P. chloroUneatus there are intermediate specimens, viz. specimens 

 in which the little bead-like spots, arranged in lines, which cha- 

 racterize the P. monUiferus, are less distinctly separated, and 

 almost form uninterrupted lines as in P. chlorol'meatus. But in 

 cases in which the fascia of the varieties of P. orbifer become 

 extremely slender, they are always distinguishable from the 

 P. chlorol'meatus by these fasciae being dentated (not even, smooth 



