HYPOLAMPSIS. 247 



20. Hypolampsis fragilis. 



H. oblongo-ovata, subcylindrica, att&nuata, subtiliterjlavo-pvbescens, 

 pallide f&rruginea ; eapite brevi, transversa, haud jproducto, ob- 

 lique inter oculos foveolato ; thorace suibquadrato aut quadrato, 

 ad basin constricto, ad latcra mbtiliter piceo marginato ; elytris 

 subparallelis, aliquando ad medium suffuse nigro-submacuJatis, 

 punctato-striatis ; antennis filiformibus, flavis ; pedibus Jlavis, 

 interdum fusco suffusis. 



Long. corp. ±i lin., lat. | lin. 



Oblong-ovate, attenuated, finely flavo-pubescent, deeply punctate- 

 striate ; of a pale ferrugineous colour, which varies in shade in different 

 examples. Head short, transverse, vertical, not produced in front ; 

 immediately above the base of the antennae is an obsolete longi- 

 tudinal medial and also (above this) two oblique fovese (forming 

 together the character of the letter Y) ; the longitudinal fovea is 

 produced obsoletehj to the line of the base : the eyes are large, glo- 

 bose, and lateral, situated at the base of the head ; the surface is 

 finely punctate and flavo-subpubescent. Thorax quadrate, con- 

 stricted near the base ; the anterior angles (when viewed laterally) 

 are much depressed and obsolete ; the sides are in outline sinuate 

 and marginate ; near the base the surface is transversely depressed, 

 very finely punctate, clothed throughout (but more distinctly at the 

 sides) with pale flavous pubescence ; the colour is flavous, suffused 

 medially with fuscous, and narrowly margined on either side with 

 piceous (in different examples this coloration is subject to variation). 

 Scutellum minute, subpubescent. Elytra subparallel, deeply and 

 broadly punctate-striate, clothed throughout with pale flavous pu- 

 bescence ; in some examples there is a suffused faint circular or 

 transverse postmedial marking of fuscous. Antennas filiform, flavous. 

 Legs flavous, occasionally suffused with fuscous. 



This species appears to be very variable in shades of colour, though 

 constant in form : it may be separated from most others of this dif- 

 ficult genus by the form and colour of its thorax, which is always 

 distinctly constricted at the base, and also always more or less 

 margined at the sides with fuscous : in some examples the elytra 

 are almost concolorous, in others there is a rudimentary suffused 

 circular spot placed postmedially, while in others, again, this spot, 

 is enlarged into a broader, but still obsolete and suffused band. I 

 am indebted to the cabinet of my friend Mr. Fry for a definition of 

 the species, which seems to be satisfactory; his collection contains 

 a fine series of the insect, in its different gradations of colour, 

 taken by himself on the outskirts of forests near Bio Janeiro. The 



