African and Asiatic Species o/* Melyris. 181 



lent me by M. Schouteden, and the above description has 

 been taken from similar specimens from Fvvambo and 

 Mwengwa, those from Katanga and Kamfua being inter- 

 mediate. The three forms of M. nigripes (nigripes, lemairei, 

 and bequaerti) are imperfectly segregated in Katanga, while 

 in Northern Rhodesia M. lemairei and M. nigripes seem to 

 be constant. M. sieboldi, Gredl. (1877), type from Gondo- 

 koro, a species not identified by Pic or myself, is apparently 

 an allied insect with the head reddish in front. 



26. Melyris sansibarica. 

 Melyris sansibarica, Harold, Stett. ent. Zeit. 1879, p. 334. 



£ . Ventral segment 5 excavate down the middle, broadly 

 arcuate-emarginate at apex, 6 polished, deeply bifoveate, 

 angularly emarginate at tip. 



? . Ventral segment 5 unimpressed, 6 cleft, black. 



Hob. E. Africa, Zanzibar, Kitui (Mus. Genoa). 



Dr. Gestio has lent me a pair of this remarkable insect, 

 distinguishable by its robust build, moderately elongate, 

 broad form, and the brilliant blue (or green) upper surface ; 

 the elytra closely foveolato-punctate, and with the costeeonlv 

 just traceable; the femora (except at the tip) and abdomen 

 (the terminal segment in ? excepted), and the antennal 

 joints 2-4, ruf'o- testaceous ; the metasternum bluish-black; 

 the tibiae and tarsi black, the claws long, toothed towards the 

 apex; the abdomen fringed with long blackish hairs at 

 the tip in both sexes. M. subcostata, Pic (1913), from the 

 Belgian Congo, is a more elongate allied form, with the 

 ventral segments metallic. 



27. Melyris flavopectus, sp. n. 



S . Elongate, broad, rather convex, sparsely pubescent, 

 brilliant violaceous above, testaceous beneath (the propleura 

 excepted); the basal four joints of the antennae, and the 

 femora to near the apex, also testaceous, the rest of these 

 organs infuscate or black, the anterior tibiae paler towards 

 the tip ; the head and prothorax coarsely, closely umbilicate- 

 punctate. Head rather small, short; antennae short; pro- 

 thorax convex, transversely subcampanulate, sulcate, the 

 lateral carina sinuate and extending to the prominent hind 

 angles. Elytra much wider than the prothorax, long ; 

 coarsely, confluently seriato-foveolate, the three costse almost 

 obsolete, but traceable when the insect is viewed in profile. 

 Tarsal claws long, toothed near the apex. Ventral segments 



