ii^ CEPHALOLEIA. 



biisilnr segment of their ligulu : the antennae are vuriable in form 

 and ill the relative proportions and shape of the fii*st two joints, 

 and of but little use in the fonnation of the generic diagnosis; 

 sonietiiiios, laowever, they afford good specific characters. I have 

 found the variations in fomi of the anal segTucnt of the abdomen, 

 and more rarely of the partially exsertcd pygidium, of great assistance 

 in the separation of nearly alHed species. The anal segment in the 

 male is invariably notched at its extreme apex ; that of the female, 

 on the contraiy, is rounded and entire : occasionally the segment is 

 emarginatc in both sexes ; generally in this case the male has an 

 additional sinuosity in the centre of the emarginatc jioi'tion. These 

 insects are all natives of the warmer parts of South America and of 

 Mexico. 



1. Cephaloleia gratiosa, n. sp. Tab. Y. Fig. 4. B.M. 



C. elougata, subdepressa, fiilva, nitida ; antennis extrorsum elytro- 

 rumque macuhi transversci communi nigris. 



Mas. Antennarum articulis quimjue basalibus compressis, se- 

 cundo et tertio fere a^qualibus, a]nce introi'siim dilatatis, trigonis; 

 abdominis scgmento anali leniter sinuato. 



Fiem. Antennis tibiisque nigris ; antennarum articulis quinque 

 basalibus subcompressis, articiilo tertio sccundo ^ix longiori, ad 

 apiccm extrorsum paiillo dilatato, elongato-trigouo ; abdominis 

 scgmento anali rotundato, apice utrinque subsinuato, medio pro- 

 ducto. 



Var. A. Mas. Thorax rufo-ful\iis ; elytris nigris. 

 Long. 3|- lin. 



C oblong-elongate, subdepressed, shining rufo-fulvous. Head smooth ; 

 eyes and antennae black; two or three basal joints of the latter ful- 

 vous, sometimes entirely black; five basal joints compressed, second 

 and third equal, dilated internally at their- apex, trigonate, foiu'th 

 subtrigonate ; basal joint clavate, incrassate, its inner edge slightly 

 dilated, much compressed ; five basal joints in the female slightly 

 compressed, third rather longer than the second, elongato-trigonate. 

 Thorax transverse-quadrate; lateral border parallel, nearly straight 

 behind, slightly rounded in front, produced beyond the apical 

 margin, causing the apex to appear as though emarginate; surface 

 subconvcx, smooth, finely but .sparingly punctured, lateral margin 

 reflexed, canaliculate. Scutellum smooth, shining, impunctate, 

 bright fulvous. Elytra rather broader than tlie base of the thorax, 

 their apex obtusely I'ounded, conjointly obsoletely emarginate at 

 the sutiu'al angle, not entirely covering the pygidium ; sides 

 parallel ; above suboonvex, flattened along the back ; sides below 

 the shoulder deflcxed and slightly excavated, narrowly margined ; 

 each elytron with eleven finely punctured striae, the first abbre- 

 ^'iatcd, interstices smooth ; rufo-fulvous, a large common trans- 

 verso patch across the middle black. 



