Mr. T. \'. ^^^lllaston on the Cohopteraof St. Helena. 411 



fovcolnted behind) liaving simply a short cliannel in the centre, 

 and with the frontal space between the antenna} opaqnc and 

 coarsely alutaeeuus, and qnite tree from even scattered addi- 

 tional punetures. Its prothurax also is less devehiped, and 

 more narrowed behind, anil its i-lytra perhaps are a tritlt; 

 shorter. It has been examined by Mr. Hye, who considers it 

 totally distinct from any tiung with which he is acquainted. 

 Two examples, which were captmcd by Mr. Mclliss at St. 

 Helena, arc all that I have yet seen. 



§ II. Anttunarum art'" 3 (vix distim-te 7) idterioribus incrassatis. 

 Oxi/telus nitidifrons^ n. sp. 



0. nitidiis, capite piceo-nigro, protliorace elytrisquo nifo-forrugineia, 

 his postice obscurioribus, abdomiiie ruto-brunneo pdstice obscu- 

 riore, podibus miinis spinidosis rufo-testaceis ; capite prolhorace- 

 qiie brenl)as, transvorsis, eonfuso et vix di'iisc rugoso-punctatis, 

 illo antice in nifdio inipuuctato nitido (vix ahitacoo) convoxo, a 

 fronte couspicue transvcrsini di\'iso, oculis hand prominontiljiis et 

 sat parvis, mandi])ulis clongatis porrectis rufo-fcTrugincis, hoc 

 confuse trisulcato (sulcis oxterioribus postice evanosccntibus), 

 postice vix angiistiore ; elytris brcvibus, profundo et dense punc- 

 tato-strigulosis ; antennis brcvibus, nigris, basi claro rufo-ferru- 

 gineis. 



Long. corp. lin. vix H. 



A most extraordinary little O.rj/tclus^ which, from its abbre- 

 viated head and prothorax, and the fact of its antennae having 

 the three apical joints (rather, perhaps, than the usual seven) 

 conspicuously thickened, might seem at first sight almost to 

 merit generic separation. In many respects, however, it is a 

 good deal on the same ty])e (])articularly in colour and the 

 large development of its mandibles) as the 0. tnsi(jniti(s', an 

 American species which has established itself in the j\Iadeiran 

 group; but (judging from the single type now before me, 

 which was taken by Mr. Mclliss) it is apparently a little 

 smaller than that insect, and its head, prothorax, and elytra 

 arc all of them shorter and less developed. Its mandibles are 

 elongated, pallid, and porrect, as in the insif/nitus; but its 

 prothorax (which is not only more abbreviated, but less nar- 

 rowed beliind) has its outer grooves more confused and poste- 

 riorly evanescent ; and its clypeal space, between the antennre, 

 is not only unpunctured and more polished, but is more evi- 

 dently separated from the head by a transverse basal line. In 

 its rufo-ferruginous prothorax and elytra it is nearly the same 

 as that species ; but the latter seem to have their hinder region, 

 particularly about the outer angles, clouded or darkened. Its 

 eyes also are smaller, and more frontal in position. 



