324 Mr. Frederick Bates on 



tibias straight^ entire ; tlie first joint of tlie posterior 

 tarsi a little less elongate ; the fore and intermediate 

 cox« smooth, or with but a few short inconspicuous 

 hairs ; the prosternal process not toothed at each side 

 between the cox^, nor hooked at the hind extremity ; 

 the abdomen 5-jointed as in the S , the last joint is not 

 truncate, but has a small semicircular notch at its ex- 

 treme apex. 



The antennge are imperfect in all the female examples 

 I have of this insect ; but judging from the portion re- 

 maining, I should say they do not materially differ from 

 the ^ , unless, it may be, in the terminal joint. 



The submentum ( = " piece prebasalaire '' of Du Yal, 

 Gen. des Coleop. Introd.) is well defined in this genus, 

 being marked out from the rest of the undersurface of the 

 head by a deeply impressed line or suture. I cannot "find 

 any trace of spurs to the anterior tibiae in either sex. 



Of the genera yet published Xenostethus is most nearly 

 related to Statira, with which it has many points of struc- 

 ture in common ; but in the peculiar form of its oral organs, 

 and in the remarkable prolongation of the prothorax 

 behind the acetabula, it cannot, so far as my knowledge 

 extends, claim relationship with any other described 

 genus of Heteromera. The marked protuberance of the 

 anterior cox« and parts adjacent, with their acetabula 

 broadly closed behind ; the elongate terminal joint of the 

 antennge ; the head contracted behind into a long neck ; 

 and the form of the tarsi, are the chief characters which 

 lead me to place the genus, jjrovisionally at least, in the 

 family Lagriidce ; ultimately, perhaps, its many special 

 peculiarities may be considered of sufiicient value to 

 entitle it to rank in a less subordinate position ; the 

 family, however, already contains some very peculiar 

 forms. 



Xenostethus Laconlairii , n. sp. (PI. XV. fig. 5). 



c?. Length 7f-8i lines: — elongate; narrow; shining; 

 elytra clear bright green, or olive green, sometimes with 

 the sides purplish coppery; head and prothorax deep 

 shining black ; the former more or less convex and 

 smooth on the crown ; front flattened or depressed, un- 

 even, sparingly punctured ; epistoma and labrum smooth, 

 the latter having some long hairs above and fringing the 



