Mr. A. Murray on Coleoptera from Old Calabar. 21 



Pale chestnut or testaceo-ferruginous in colour, with tip of the 

 mandibles black ; shining, finely punctate. The head rather 

 broad, with a marginal projection in front of the eye ; the cly- 

 peus lower than the rest of the head, and also separated from it 

 by a further depression ; there is a very shallow depression on 

 each side, between the eyes, which are rather strongly granular; 

 punctuation fine. Thorax nearly a third broader than long, 

 smooth and flat, with shallow depressions towards the posterior 

 angles ; sides parallel ; apex truncate ; anterior angles, as seen 

 from above, right-angled, posterior rounded except at the 

 angle of the base, where there is a slight projection ; base and 

 sides margined, the margin visible from above at the posterior 

 half of the thorax, not visible on the anterior half, it being- 

 turned in below. Scutellum small, transversely ovate, rounded ; 

 the apex slightly indicated, very slightly punctate. Elytra 

 punctate-striate, the striae becoming evanescent towards the 

 apex, the interstices punctate ; shoulders not prominent, sides 

 subparallel; slightly narrower behind the shoulders, and becom- 

 ing broader again behind the middle ; apex rotundato-truncate, 

 sides margined, but the margins not seen from above. Under- 

 side very shining and smooth, more finely punctate than above. 



I have only received one specimen of this species; and even it 

 was somewhat imperfect, the posterior tarsi having been lost ; 

 but it appeared such an interesting addition to the genera of 

 Cucujidse that I have had no hesitation in describing it from my 

 materials such as they are. 



The only forms which we have hitherto known of this little 

 family are the true Cucujus, with its dull opaque texture and 

 usually bright-red colour, of which species occur in Europe, 

 America, and Australia. In looking at the section from my pre- 

 sent point of view, the Australian Platisus clearly goes along 

 with the typical Cucujus. The Brazilian Palcestes, bright and 

 shining, forms a difi'erent section ; and the present genus a third. 



It has a certain degree of superficial resemblance to Trogosita. 



Silvanidse. 



Silvanus frumentarius, Fabr. Syst. El. ii. 557. 11 ; Erichs. 

 Ins. Deutsch. iii. 336. 



In the packing of boxes from Old Calabar. 



Cryptophagidse. 



Cryptophagus sericeus. 



C. bicolori affinis, thorace angulis anticis in dentem acutum 

 producto dignoscitur ; oblongo-ovalis, piceo-ferrugineus ; ely- 



