284 :\[r. D. sffirp's Contrihntions to the 



Tn))aj()s; four s])Ociinciis of this interesting species wore 

 brought back by i\lr. Bates, one of which, however, 1 have 

 destroyed by an unfortunate accident during examination. 



PyEDEUUS. 



The species of this very widely-distributed genus brouglit 

 from tlie Amazons are seven in number ; they show 

 nothing remarkable, their colour and appearance being 

 very similar to our European species ; they all have the 

 mandil)les with a simi)lc bidentate tooth in the middle. 

 Although scarcely a score of species of Pcederus have 

 been as yet described from South America and Mexico, 

 the species are really numerous there ; the more remark- 

 able of the South American forms of the genus, such as 

 P. rutilicornis and P. ferus, appear to be unrepresented 

 in the Amazons. 



The species of the genus require careful study, and 

 some of them have already given rise to much discussion ; 

 the structure of the axleagus lias been hitherto neglected ; 

 but w'hen it is considered, it Avill, I have no doubt, be 

 found to greatly facilitate the recognition and discrimina- 

 tion of the species. 



1. Pcedcrus solidus, n. sp. Robustus, alatus, nigcr, 

 elytris thorace paulo longioribus, cyaneis ; abdomine seg- 

 mentis quatuor primis, thorace, mesosternoque rufis, 

 pedum basi antennarumque basi et apice testaceis, his 

 medio infuscatis. Long. corp. 5 — 5| lin. 



Antennae If lin. in length, 3 basal joints yellow, the 

 next 6 strongly infuscate, the 10th infuscate-yellow, the 

 last joint yellow\ Palpi yellow, terminal joint infuscate 

 at the apex ; mandibles red. Head black, with the neck 

 red, broad, a little broader than the thorax, rather sparingly 

 and finely punctured ; the punctures wanting towards the 

 middle. Thorax briglit red, longer than broad, about 

 ^ lin. long and scarcely | lin. broad, sparingly and finely 

 punctured, with a broad impimctate space along the 

 middle, the punctures l)earing fine black hairs. Scutellum 

 red, elytra blue, parallel, rather longer than thorax, from 

 apex of scutellum to extremity of suture being quite \ lin. ; 

 their common width also about J lin., rather finely and 

 moderately closely pimctured. Legs rather long ; the coxre 

 and base of femora yellow, apical third of femora and the 



