258 Mr. H, W. Bates on Ceramhyddce 



Genus Melathemma, gen. nov. 



Xestia' affinis, seel antennis gracilibus, filiformibus, 

 elongatis. Oculi magni, lobis inferioribus tubera anten- 

 uifera superantibus, bis valde obtusis sulcatis; collo 

 hand constricto. Antennae graciles, filiformeSj corpore 

 ( cJ ) multo longiores, glabra?, sparsim setosae ; articulo 

 basali brevi, oblongo, tertio elongato, 4to et 6to prece- 

 dent! brevioribus subaequalibus, ca)teris a3quilongis, llmo 

 duplo longiori excepto. Thorax inermis, subquadratus. 

 Elytra subc34indrica, apice inermia. Presternum arcua- 

 tum, acetabula extus angustissime emarginata; meso- 

 sternuni planum, acetabula intermedia anguste aperta. 

 Abdomen glabrum, apicem versus attenuatum. Pedes 

 breves, inermes, femora compressa subclavata, tarsi 

 articulo primo 2ndo 3ioque conjunctim breviori. Corpus 

 subcylindricum, politum, sparse hirsutum. 



This genus is formed for the reception of a species 

 which is closely allied to Xestia in its principal characters, 

 but differs greatly from it in facies, and in the long 

 slender filiform and non-tomentose antennas, which, in 

 the male (the only sex I know) , are longer by one-half 

 than the body, and have a short oblong (not conical) 

 basal joint. The head is not constricted behind the eyes, 

 the antcnniferous tubercles are very obtuse, the upper 

 edges being rounded ; and they are separated from each 

 other at their bases by a narrow portion of the forehead. 

 The thorax is scarcely broader than the head, and of 

 subquadrate outline, glabrous, with fine transverse striae. 

 The elytra arc quite unarmed at the apex. 



1. Mclathemma polita, n. sp. 



Subcylindrica, nigra, polita, sparsim griseo-hirsuta ; 

 elytris vittulis duabus ochreis vel omnino nigris punctatis ; 

 scutcllo tomento griseo fimbriate ; thorace transversim 

 subconflucnter rugoso, disco tri-tuberculato, tuberculo 

 mediano elongato, lateralibus rotundis. 



Long. 9^ lin. c?. 



Of the two male examples which I obtained of this 

 species, one is wholly of a glossy deep black colour, and 

 the other has on each elytron two short ochreous vittae, 

 one very short and linear near the middle of the disc. 



