10 Mr. R. Slielford on some 



liind t\\)\i\i qiiadiiingulfir, flattened from side to side, broader 

 at the apex than at the base, 6 spines on the outer aspect; 

 biseriately arranged, 4 long spines in a single row on the 

 inner aspect near the apex, 5 apical spines, the longest of 

 wiiich is not quite equal to tlie first tarsal joint. Tarsi 

 slender, tiie metatarsi exceeding in length the remaining 

 joints, fimbriate and entirely without pulvilli or claws. 



Lengtli 1 2 mm. ; greatest breadth 10 mm. ; pronotuni 

 6x8 mm. 



Tunis, Gafsa. 



Type in the St. Petersburg Museum. 



This highly remarkable species is an extreme development 

 of the genus Anisogamia, Sauss. ; it resembles that genus in 

 the form and fimbriation of the body, in the length of the 

 first antennal joint, in tlie concealed and rudimentary cerci, 

 and, to a certain extent, in the armature of the femora. It 

 differs from Anisogamia by the extremely short antenn£e, by 

 the form of the pronotum, by the femoral armature, and by 

 the simplification of the tarsal structure. The pronotum of 

 Ngmphrytria in its shape resembles that of the males of 

 Polyphaga species in its anterior production. The tarsal 

 structure is unique amongst the Blattidse, and it would be 

 interesting to learn if its simplification and the serration of 

 the tibial spines are correlated with peculiar iiabits of life ; 

 that the species, like most of the Folypliagce, has burrowing 

 habits is sufficiently indicated by the structure of the fore 

 tibiai, whicli, as digging instruments, must rival iu efficiency 

 those of Grgllotalpa. 



Polyphaga platypoda, sp. n. (PI. I. fig. 5.) 



? . Rufo-castaneous, rufo-fimbriate. Antennre short and 

 somewhat incrassated, with 36—40 joints, the apical of which 

 are moniliform. Pronotum slightly produced anteriorly, 

 comijletcly covering the head, together with the meso- and 

 metanotum granulate and with a sparse erect pubescence ; 

 disc with chiselled markings. Abdomen smooth, nitid. 

 Supra-anal lamina subtransverse. Subgenital lamina and 

 cerci as in the preceding genus. Legs short, robust. Femora 

 with a few minute s])incs on both margins beneath ; no 

 genicular spines. All the tiliial spines robust, grooved 

 beneath, and finely t^errated. Front tibia3asin the preceding 

 species ; mid tibia' with spines on the outer aspect tiiseriately 

 arranged, none on the inner aspect, 5 apical spines, the 

 longest not equal to the first tarsal joint; hind tibia* curved, 

 bpiues on the outer aspect triscriately arranged iu two groups, 



