BIRCH-TREE BEETLES. 875 



darker. The head is remarkably flattened and square, being 

 scarcely longer than broad, and densely covered with short 

 hairs above and beneath. The antennas are inserted on the side 

 of the head, and imniediately behind them on the side are the 

 eyes ; the occipital suture is situated midway between the base 

 and the front edge of the head, forming a straight line just 

 behind the eyes. The antenniB are two-jointed, and received 

 into a large socket; the first joint is very short; the second 

 joint four times as long as the first, a little slenderer, and 

 increasing slightly in width towards the end, which is abrupt, 

 and contains a minute, rudimentary third joint. The maxillae 

 are broad, subtriangular, projecting a third of their length 

 beyond the labium, with the ends broad and square. ■ The palpi 

 extend out from the head as far as the antennae, and are three- 

 jointed, with the basal joint quite thick, rather longer than thick, 

 while the second joint is very short, and one-half as long as 

 thick ; the third minute, rudimentary. The anterior edge of the 

 occiput beneath is deeply hollowed out ; the chin (mentum) is 

 oblong, with very square edges, and is one-fourth longer than 

 broad. The labial palpi are three-jointed, the basal joint very 

 short, one-half as long as broad ; second nearly twice as long 

 as thick, third minute, rudimentary. The mandibles are large, 

 stout, two-toothed, the inner tooth situated a considerable dis- 

 tance from the tip. The labrum is broad and perfectly square in 

 front, with a median notch dividing the edge into two slight 

 lobes. The clypeus is an illy defined oval, convex area. 



Along the median line of the body is a slightly marked row 

 of short, paler streaks, more continuous on the thoracic than the 

 abdominal segments, forming on each of the latter segments an 

 elongated spot situated on the anterior edge of each segment 

 except the last. On each thoracic and the last abdominal seg- 

 ment is a pair of lat*al oval brown spots, paler in the centre. 

 Behind these on each abdominal segment (except the last) is a 

 row of pale short lines, placed in the middle of the segment. 

 Further d(^vn on each side is a similar row of short lines, which 

 are, however, subdivided into two spots, which on the thoracic 

 segments form a row of four or five pale dots. Between these 

 two lines is a row of black dots, one on each segment. The 

 legs are rather short, and quite hairy. The terminal segment of 

 the abdomen is about as long as broad, and well rounded behind. 



