548 Appeiidix. 



exteriorly ; the remaining points appear dull owing to their being 

 strongly aciculate, except lor a narrow smooth central line. Pro- 

 thorax elongate, broadest at apex, sides subparallel nearly to middle 

 and thence strongly narrowed to base. A broad central furrow 

 throughout, containing the pubescent stripe, and a deep short stria 

 on either side of it at base ; punctuation strong, close and even. In 

 the b;isal portion the lateral part of the thorax is produced so as to 

 extend a good deal beyond the dorsal edge from which it is separated 

 by a very deep incision. The mesonotum is broadly exposed and 

 bears a part of the central pubescent stripe. Elytra very narrow and 

 elongate, scarcely broader than the head at their widest part, which 

 is before middle. Sides distinctly rounded, apex broadly truncate. 

 Dorsal surface very much flattened, with six sharp, narrow carinae 

 (the sutural one not reaching the base) and a very short apical one 

 between the 5th and 6th ; all the carin;e disappear before reaching 

 the apex ; the 6th carinte form the dorsal edges of the elytra, the 

 portions between them and the true edges being folded over under- 

 neath so as to form false epipleura. The spaces between the carin* 

 are occupied by large reticulate fovea;, filled with ferruginous 

 pubescence, which are largest near the suture and diminish in size 

 laterally. The basal sutural stripe is short, being about as long as 

 the apical white patch ; the latter is narrow and elongate, bifid 

 posteriorly and reaches the extreme apex. Legs black with fine 

 white pubescence ; the posterior pairs of femora are more strongly 

 compressed than in any other species of the genus. 



This remarkable species was discovered at Somerset 

 West, Cape Colony, in January 1900, by Mr, E. N. Bennett, 

 M.A., Fellow of Hertford College, Oxford, to whom I have 

 dedicated it. Its depressed and narrow form is more 

 suggestive of a subcortical insect than of a terrestrial 

 Polyhirma, and the folding under of the elytral mar- 

 gins is a unique character ia the genus. The species 

 to which it is most nearly allied is P. 7nacilcnta, 01., 

 from which it may at once be distinguished by its very 

 different facies ; and it also differs in the following 

 points: (1) the costse of the elytra are extended further 

 towards the apex (as in P. semisuturafa, Chd.); (2) 

 the costa) are sharper and straight, not undulating ; (3) 

 the prothorax is not nearly so heart-shaped, owing to 

 the sides not being rounded in front. The last two points, 

 as well as the shortness of the basal stripe on the elytra, 

 distin£juish it from scmisuturata. 



The type is in the Hope Museum, Oxford, 



