88 Mr. A. Murray on Culeoptera from Old Calabar. 



are still tubercles, although very small and flat-topped, while in 

 the supposed female they appear as if rolled flat and even with 

 the surface, and the elytra have the costse less distinct, and are 

 rather deeply punctate than reticulate ; the hollow space at the 

 apex of the elytra, too, is nearly smooth. 



Var, indistincta. — There are some slightly larger and more 

 coarsely reticulate specimens, which look somewhat different ; 

 but I can find no tangible character; however, I note it as a 

 variety, because I have received specimens from Natal belonging 

 to it, and not of the normal type. 



I have DO certain knowledge that this is the A. monacha of 

 Olivier ; but it corresponds with his description and figure ; and as 

 his species is said to have come from Senegal, I think we may as- 

 sume it to be it, especially as there is nothing else from Africa (so 

 far as I know) to compete with it, except A. Francisco, Fab., from 

 Algeria, which, although very close to it, is still distinct. A. 

 Francisca can be readily distinguished from the present species, 

 however, by the narrower thorax, the more rounded and decided 

 punctures of the elytra, and more especially by the hollowed 

 apical truucature of the elytra, which in the male of A. Francisca 

 is strongly marked with deep, scattered, round punctures; while 

 in this species, on close examination, it will be seen that the 

 truncature, although apparently punctate, is in reality not so, 

 but derives the appearance from raised papillse or minute tuber- 

 cles instead of sunk holes. The female of A. Francisca, Fab., is 

 A. Carmelita of Fabricius, according to Lacordaire. 



Common at Old Calabar. 



BosTRiCHUs, Geoffr., Lacordaire. 

 § 1. Thorax with anterior angles prominently projecting. 



1 . Bostrichus protrudens. 



Niger, nitidus; thorace tuberculato, angulis 



anticis recte projicientibus, apice baud acu- 



tis, subtus unituberculatis ; elytris striato- 



punctatis, apice rotundatis, sine truncatura, 



margine solum parum explanato. 

 Long. 8-8| lin., lat. 2f lin. 



Black, moderately shining. Head invisible from above, in 

 consequence of the projection of the thorax, covered with small 

 round tubercles, which are finest behind ; deeply hollowed out 

 behind in a transverse rounded groove reaching to the posterior 

 part of the eye on each side; in front of this furrow is a higher 

 shelf running from the anterior part of the eye on each side ; 

 there is a longitudinal line in the middle of this, which has 



