43G Mr. A. Murray on Coleoptera from Old Calabar. 



and angular at the apex on the exterior side. Thorax trans- 

 verse ; disk h\rge, a(.'j)ressed, only slightly convex, highly 

 polished and finely punctate, straight in front, suddenly con- 

 stricted and bearing two tubercles intermingled with two or 

 three grooves ; base bisiuuate, posterior angles feebly retlexed 

 and acuminated ; there are two folds along the base following 

 its bisinuation ; lateral tubercle strong and obtuse, unequal 

 above, and strongly impressed on the margin. Scutellum 

 semicircular, blackish. P^lytra broader than the thorax, 

 three, or in some individuals even four and a half, times as 

 long, subparallel, slightly widened about two-thirds from the 

 base, trmicated slightly at the extremity ; their surface is 

 covered with a fine punctation, and is very smooth, gla- 

 brous, and shining, of a fine brilliant green, which turns 

 into a brilliant igneous or violet reflection on the sides and 

 base ; base depressed, shoulders prominent and rounded. 

 Body below blackish brown, with transverse folds under the 

 thorax, covered with a dense, short velvety pile, which, how- 

 ever, is only slight on the breast, with the abdomen more 

 shining, particularly on the margins of the segments. Thighs, 

 with the exception of the base and apex and posterior half of 

 the tibite, ferruginous red ; tarsi yellowish or rufous brown. 



This species resembles in its description the Haminaticherus 

 glahricoltis of Hope, but differs in various respects. The an- 

 tennae and legs in qlahricoUis are described as reddish piceous ; 

 and no mention is made of the veiy striking character the 

 igneous or violet sides and base of the el}i;ra. Nevertheless 

 it may be the same as //. gJahricolUs ; but as Hope says that 

 he is acquainted with other metallic species from the same 

 locality, I have less hesitation than I might otherwise have 

 had in regarding it as distinct. It, as well as the next species, 

 approaches, in the form of its antennre and the structure of its 

 body, to the H. gigas and humerah's of White. 



The commonest species of this genus, but far from abun- 

 dant. 



This type of Ploccederus is peculiar to West Africa ; and the 

 nearest relations of the African species are the East-Indian. 



2. Ploaxderus chloropterus, Chevr. Rev. ct Mag. d. 

 Zool. 1856, p. 566. 



Niger, opacus ; palpis, antennis (1° articulo rubido, 5°-10'" sin- 

 gulatim ad apicem angulosis ct parum dilatatis, ultimo emar- 

 ginato) pedibusque ferrugineis (geniculis obscuris) ; thorace 

 transversim et recte plicato, in lateribus anticis nodoso, 

 medioque sat valide tuberculato vel fere spinoso ; scutello 

 lanugine alba vestito ; elytris thorace latioribus, convexius- 



