428 Mr. W. L. Distant's first report on the 



spines near the anterior angles of the pronotum render 

 it very distinct. 



Dr. Horvath, in his paper previously referred to, has 

 enumerated the Megyfnenum spinosum, Burrn., amongst 

 his Japanese identifications, a course in which he was 

 subsequently followed by Mr. Scott. 



The above species is very distinct from M. spinosum, 

 being in fact divided by subgeneric characters ; and is the 

 only one now brought home by Mr. Lewis. 



Melanospilus elegans, n. s. (PL XIX., fig. 9). 



Pale reddish ; head, antenna, two large central spots 

 to pronotum, which are narrowed anteriorly and almost 

 attain to the anterior and posterior margins, scutellum, 

 clavus (excluding apex), a large irregular discal spot to 

 corium, which outwardly does not reach the costal 

 margin, membrane (excluding basal angle and apical 

 margin), head beneath (excluding central line), a lateral 

 spot to prosternum, anterior area of mesosternum, which 

 is macular at lateral margin, lateral margins of meta- 

 sternum, central lateral spots to abdomen, abdominal 

 apex, coxre, legs, and rostrum, black ; basal angle and 

 apical margins of membrane whitish. The head, an- 

 tennae, and legs are finely pilose, the central carinations 

 of the pronotum and scutellum are very pronounced, 

 and the corium is strongly concavely sinuate at base. 

 Long. 9 — 10 mm. 



Hab. Niigata. 



This species differs from the description of L. cruciger, 

 Motsch., by the colour of the scutellum, the absence of 

 the spots described as " hemelytrorum quatuor cruci- 

 forme dispositis," by the presence of the central spots 

 to the abdomen, &c. It is distinguished from M.fimbri- 

 atus, Dall., by the colour of the head, the apex of the 

 clavus, and the abdomen beneath. 



In his List of the Japanese PJiynchota, Mr. Scott 

 (Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 4, vol. xiv. (1874)), 

 includes in the family Lygaiche a " Mclanocephalus 

 cruciger, Motsch.," and in the family Pyrrhocoi-idce 

 a " Melanospilus cruciger, Motsch." The first of these 

 generic names must evidently be a misprint, whilst 

 the second as clearly belongs to the Lygceidce, and 

 both evidently refer to the same species described by 



