( 163 ) 



IX. On the Longicorn Coleoptera of Chontales, Kicar- 

 agua. By H. W. Bates, F.L.S. 



[Read 6th May, 1872.^ 



The present paper is intended as an enuineration of the 

 Coleoptera Longicornm of Cliontales, in Nicaragua, with 

 descriptions of the new genera and species,, and is founded 

 almost entirely on the collection made by Mr. Thomas 

 Belt, in the neighbourhood of Santo Domingo, in that 

 Province. In a letter describing the situation and phy- 

 sical geography of his collecting grounds, Mr. Belt writes 

 as follows: — - 



" Santo Domingo is a mining village, situated on the 

 head waters of one of the numerous streams that after- 

 wards join and form the Blewfields river. It is nearly 

 midway between the Atlantic and the Pacific, in lat. 

 12° 16' N. and long, 84° 59' W. The village lies just 

 within the western edge of the great forest, which covers 

 almost the whole of the Atlantic slope of Central America. 

 The height above the sea-level is about 2,000 feet; but 

 the ranges of hills around the village rise from 500 to 

 1,000 feet higher. To the eastward the forest continues 

 unbroken to the Atlantic ; but to the westward, at a dis- 

 tance of about seven miles, the lightly-timbered plains 

 and savannahs commence, which stretch to the Lake of 

 Nicaragua. 



" The climate is humid ; for nine months of the year 

 rain falls nearly every day, and is often continuous for 

 many days together; and during the other three months 

 there are occasional showers, so that vegetation never 

 dries up, but is always green and luxuriant. The rocks 

 are ancient dolerites, much decomposed, and lying at 

 low angles. 



'' The surface of the land in the forest region forms a 

 succession of ranges and steep valleys, covered with 

 magnificent timber and much undergrowth. Near the 

 mines many clearings have been made, and the felled 

 trees form the great places of attraction for Longicorn s 

 and other Coleoptera. Insects of all kinds abound, and 

 as might be expected, insectivorous birds are also very 

 numerous, both in species and individuals ; so that I 

 have observed their twitterings and cries here to a far 



TRANS. ENT. SOC. 1872. — PART III. (AUGUST.) N 



