168 Mr. Arthur M. Lea's Bcvision of the 



Genus Hypattalus, Blackb., T. R. S., S.A., 1894, p. 208. 



The Rev. T. Blackburn proposed this genus for several 

 species differing in the tarsi from the European species of 

 Attalus. I do not know that genus, and do not feel called 

 upon to question the correctness of his proposal, but it will 

 be noticed that there are profound differences in the legs 

 of several species referred by me to the genus, and yet I 

 believe the species here treated are all congeneric, although 

 it is probable that some entomologists would regard them 

 as belonging to several genera.* 



The modifications of the legs are indeed remarkable ; in 

 about one-third of the known species the front femora are 

 strongly curved, with the trochanters unusually large and 

 projecting; of these, one species (dentipes) has the front 

 femora obtusely dentate, its female having the hind tibiae 

 each terminated by a spur fully half the length of the 

 tarsus ; long as it is, however, this spur is sometimes not 

 readily seen, as it is often closely pressed against the tarsus. 

 But there is at least another species (calcaratus) having 

 the hind tibiae spurred in the female but belonging to the 

 group with normal femora in the male.f One of the most 

 singular modifications, however, occurs in the hind tibiae 

 of the males of several species {elcfians and distortipes, at 

 least), these are curiously twisted in the middle, the dis- 

 torted portion being usually of a bright red colour. 



The antennae are usually serrate internally in both 

 sexes, with the 11th joint distinctly longer than the 10th; 

 the 2nd joint, although shorter than the Srd, is never very 

 small ; in the male the serrations are usually more pro- 

 nounced than in the female, but (except in dispar, where 

 the male has pectinate antennae) the difference is not 

 sufficiently pronounced to be alone distinctive of sex. 



The penultimate segment of the abdomen of the male 



* For instance, the following groups might be regarded as of 

 generic value : — 



1. Front femora of male curved with strongly projecting tro- 

 chanters ; hind tibiae of female spurred. 



2. Front legs as in the preceding group but hind tibiae of female 

 not spurred. 



3. Front legs simple. Hind tibiae of female spurred. 



4. Legs and antennae simp'e. 



5. Front legs simple. Hind tibiae of male distorted in middle. 



6. Legs simple. Antennae of male pectinate. 



I A female belonging to another species before me has spurred 

 hind tibiae, but as I do not know its male, it has not been described. 



