162 



Mr. G. 0. Champion on the 



and reticulate. Head small, narrow ; antennae ( <$ ) long, 

 the joints loosely articulate, 4-10 triangular, longer than 

 broad, gradually decreasing in length, ( ? ) shorter, joints 

 6-10 broader than long. Prothorax transverse, explanate 

 laterally, the sides rounded posteriorly and rapidly converging 

 anteriorly, the lateral carina sinuate and not reaching the 

 base, the disc feebly convex and shallowly canaliculate. 

 Elytra wider than the prothorax, acuminate at tip ; alu- 

 taceous, sharply tricostate, the interspaces with from 3-5 

 irregular rows of rather fine punctures, the lateral margins 

 somewhatex|)lanate,the inferior margin crenulate. Abdomen 

 closely punctured, without long hairs at tip. Legs long ; 

 tarsal claws with a small tooth at the middle. 



3 . Ventral segments 4 and 5 each with a deep, trans- 

 verse, arcuate excavation in the centre, that on 4 small, 5 

 broadly arcuate-emarginate at apex, 6 bi-impressed ; median 

 lobe of a?deagus stout, lanciform, armed with an acute trian- 

 gular tooth on the ventral aspect at some distance before 

 the tip (figs. 2 a, b). 



Length 6^-8, breadth 3-4 mm. (S ? •) 



Fie:. 2. 



a. b. 



Melyris laiicornis, sp. n., J . 



Hah. S.W.Africa, Namaqualand (C. H. B. Grant: <$ ? ), 

 Port Nolloth {ex coll. Fry : <$ ? ). 



Ten specimens, a <$ from Namaqualand taken as the type. 

 Closely related to the S. African M. viridis, F., but much 

 smaller; the antennas elongated and loosely articulated, and 

 the median lobe of the aedeagus differently shaped, in J* • the 

 elytra sharply costate and more finely punctate. The colour 

 is variable. M. laxicornis cannot be identified with any 

 of the Melyris from Caffraria described by Boheman. A J 

 from each locality has been dissected. 



