HYl'OLAMPSIS. 233 



unable to satisfy my own mind as to the exact limits of any subdivision 

 that would suggest itself. In general facies there is a marked re- 

 semblance : the insects composing the group are never brightly 

 coloured, never variegated by distinct markings ; they are in colour 

 fuscous, and for the most part pubescent. In the form of the posterior 

 tibia also (which in this section of the Galerucidse supplies such 

 valuable generic characters), the different species present little, if 

 any, dissimilarity : the tibia is longitudinally grooved (less apparently 

 so than in other genera) ; the margination of this groove is simple, 

 and unarmed by any even obsolete spur. 



Subdivision A. Elytris paralleUs, plus minus robustis, plerumque ante 



medium oblique depressis. 



1. Hypolampsis melanotus. 



H. oblonyo-ovata, parallela, subdepressa, nigra ; eapite brevi, rufo ; 

 tJiorace transverso, ad basin bidepresso, punctato, rufo ; elytris 

 latis, paralleUs, punctato-striatis, squamosis, ante medium oblique 

 subdepressis, niyris, ad maryinem undique rujis ; antennis dila- 

 tatis, fidvis, ad basin piceis ; pedibus rufis. 



Long. corp. If lin., lat. f lin. 



Oblong-ovate, parallel, subdepressed, black. Head short, trans- 

 verse, not produced ; eyes tolerably large, situated at the base of the 

 head; the surface (when viewed under a high power) very finely 

 punctate, of a dark rufous colour. Thorax transverse, rectilinear, 

 rectangular ; the anterior angles subdepressed ; the sides obsoletely 

 marginate ; at the base (when viewed from in front) is a transverse 

 obsolete depression, which does not extend to the posterior angles ; 

 the surface thickly and irregularly punctate (the punctures themselves 

 being of uneven form, some circular, and some vermiculate), of a 

 rufous colour throughout. Scutellwm triangular, rufous. Elytra 

 broader than the thorax, parallel, punctatc-striate, the punctures 

 being almost concealed by a thick and close squamose pile : a little 

 before the middle is a broad, obliquely transverse depression, extend- 

 ing towards the shoulders and giving an appearance of prominence 

 to the scutellary angles ; the colour black, with margins (along the 

 shoidders, the margination, and at the base) of a dark-red colour. 

 Antenna' fine, dilated towards the apex ; the joints one to six beiug 

 elongate, narrower, and of a fulvous colour; the joints seven to 

 eleven being shorter, distinctly dilated, and fuscous. Leys rufous 

 throughout. 



This handsome species is at once to be separated from its congeners 

 by the colour of its elytra, which is pitchy-black, margined with 



