SCOTT— COLEOPTERA, LAMELLICORNIA AND ADEPHAGA 231 



posterior tarsi unfortunately are broken off; in it the anterior and middle tarsi have each 

 two claws, shorter and less flattened than in the $, the larger one rather deeply cleft, the 

 smaller not cleft at all (PL 12, fig. 9). 



Type of the genus : Nesohoplia senecionis, sp. nov. 



I feel doubt as to whether certain characters of this insect are to be regarded as 

 generic or specific ; and also as to the systematic position of the genus. According to 

 Pdringuey's classification of the S. African Hopliini (Tr. S. Afr. Phil. Soc. xii. 1901 — 2, 

 p. 624) it would appear to fall into the group Scelophysides. In claw-structure and some 

 other points it somewhat resembles Platychelus (see op. cit. pp. 798, 802), but differs from 

 it widely in the form of the mentum and maxilla ; neither does the general form of the 

 body seem to approach that of Platychelus. In superficial appearance and nature of its 

 setose-squamose covering Nesohoplia somewhat resembles certain unnamed Hopliini fi^om 

 Madagascar in the British Museum : but from these it differs absolutely in claw-structure, 

 etc. It does not appear to be very close to any of the various genera described from the 

 Madagascar region ; and Dr Sicard, to whom specimens were sent, informs me that he 

 could find nothing like it in the collections fi-om that region in Paris. 



16. Nesohoplia senecionis, sp. nov. (PI. 12, figs. 3 — 9). 



$. Piceo-ferruginea vel picea, nitida, supra squamis pallide griseo-flavescentibus 

 sat dense vestita ; capite dense subrugose punctato ; prothorace circa ^ latiore quam 

 longo, antrorsum fortiter angustato, angulis anterioribus fere rectis, lateribus rotundatis 

 pone medium leviter sinuatis, angulis posticis acutis, basi medio in angulum acutum pro- 

 ducta, utrinque leviter bisinuata, disco sat dense baud profunde punctato ; elytris dense 

 subrugose punctatis, setis erectis tenuibus parcis seriatim inter squamas positis. Long. 

 Corp. 6 — 7 mm. 



$. Major, robustior, prothorace elytrisque minus dense punctatis. Long. corp. 8 mm. 



The clypeus is clearly marked off from the rest of the head ; its punctuation is slightly 

 different, and it is almost bare, the scales (which clothe the rest of the head, and the 

 prothorax and elytra) being represented on it only by very small fine hairs. The form of 

 the prothorax is characteristic : its front and side margins bear erect outstanding hairs. 

 The adpressed scales arise from the punctures, which on the thorax and elytra are fairly 

 dense but not deep ; the punctuation of the elytra is also subrugose. The elytra are 

 slightly narrowed behind the middle ; they bear in addition to the scales 2 or 3 rather 

 irregular series of a few fine erect hairs placed far apart. Wing twice as long as the 

 elytron. Metasternum with a slight median longitudinal depression which is absent near 

 the anterior margin. Pygidium bearing procumbent pale yellowish hairs, metasternum 

 and abdominal segments procumbent whitish or pale yellowish hairs. The tibiae bear 

 erect yellowish hairs. The single ? is in bad condition, most of the scaly and hairy 

 clothing being rubbed off : it is large and dark in colour, and has the thoracic and elytral 

 punctuation less close than in the $, besides differing from the $ in the claw-structure as 

 mentioned in the description of the genus. 



SECOND SERIES— ZOOLOGY, VOL. XV. 30 



