MIMELA. 103 



The chief distinctive generic feature is the prosternal process, 

 which, behind the front coxae, is elevated to their level and 

 angularly produced forward, hiding their line of contact and 

 appearing as though interposed between them. In form, colour 

 and sculpture the species present great diversity and superficially 

 are not easily distinguished from that section of the genus Anomala 

 in which the posterior marginal stria is absent from the pronotum. 

 Sharp and Ohaus have referred to Mimela various small species 

 (Anomala anopunctata, Rurm.,A.discoidea, Burm., A.debilis, Sharp, 

 etc.) in which a very small and not elbowed prosternal process is 

 traceable, but the inclusion of these seems to me to obliterate en- 

 tirely the boundary-line between Mimela and Anomala. Eestricting 

 the genus to those species with a well-developed and horizontally- 

 bent process and (almost always) without a marginal stria, I believe 

 Mimela to be a natural and homogeneous one. With the exception 

 of a few aberrant species (Mimela macleayana, M. passerinii, 

 M. vernicata, M. pectoralis and M. ohausi) a particular conformation 

 of the head characterises all the insects composing it. The head 

 is relatively large, but the eyes are small, widely separated from 

 each other, as seen from above, and not at all prominent laterally, 

 probably indicating that the species have markedly diurnal habits. 

 In Anomala, as in nearly all other genera of EUTELIN^:, the eyes 

 are relatively large, divided by a much narrower space on the top 

 of the head and generally projecting strongly at the sides. The 

 bluntly bilobed mandibles of Mimela constitute another distinctive 

 feature. 



Key to the Species. 

 1 (8) Pygidium clothed with conspicuous ' 



2 (3) Hairy clothing lying close to the 



body macleayana, Vigors, p. 105. 



3 (2) Hairy clothing not lying close to 



the body. 



4 (7) Non-metallic green. 



6 (6) Pronotum rather strongly punc- 

 tured passerinii, Hope, p. 106. 



6 (5) Pronotum very lightly punctured, vernicata, Fairm., p. 106. 



7 (4) Deep metallic green pectoralis, Bl., p. 107. 



8 (1) Pygidium without conspicuous 



hair. 



9 (56) Upper surface green or chiefly 

 green. 



10 (17) Elytra broad and not very convex. 



11 (12) Upper surface very brilliant splendens, Gyll., p. 107. 



12 (11) Upper surface dull. 



13 (14) Pale green, with very minute 



sculpture schnetderi, Ohaus, p. 108. 



14 (13) Dark green, with coarse sculpture. 



15 (16) Upper surface granular sericea, Ohaus, p. 109. 



16 (15) Upper surface coarsely punctured, pyriformis, Arrow, p. 109. 



17 (10) Body very convex. 



18 (25) Elytra decorated with fiery stripes. 



