172 Mr. A. Murray on Coleoptera from Old Calabar. 



of the thorax are nearly straight and parallel ; in this species 

 they are suddenly turned in near the posterior angles, not un- 

 like those of some of the Epurece. It is flatter, comparatively 

 broader, and has less than the other species of the typical straight 

 parallel character of the genus, and more of the ordinary facies 

 of the genus Nitidula, and is about the size of Soronia puncta- 

 tissima. It has the roughened rasp-like texture of the other 

 Axyrce, and has short pale brownish bristles or stiff hairs scat- 

 tered over it. The thorax is narrower in front than behind; 

 the short basal ridges on each side are nearly effaced, although 

 a slight, rough, raised line may be traced ; between it and the 

 posterior angles is a deep round fovea ; on the inner side of it 

 there is a smooth, shining line, and between those on each side 

 the basal central space is almost impunctate. The disk of the 

 prothorax is very faintly punctate, with two or three irregular 

 rows of larger punctures and setae ; the sides are explanate and 

 rough, with coarse punctuations, in some lights looking like 

 longitudinal rugosities ; the base is nearly straight. Scutellum 

 rounded at the apex, glabrous and impunctate. Elytra roughened 

 like a rasp from punctures appearing as if made from behind ; 

 they are very close, but are in something like rows; the margins 

 are deeply channelled, and have a series of larger punctures. 

 The setse are in four rows, some of them double towards the 

 apex. The disk of the elytra equably convex, instead of being 

 flattish as in the preceding species. In other respects similar to 

 them. 



Only one specimen received. 



Taracta, nov. gen. (from TapuKTr}<;j a disturber). 



1 have given this new genus the above name in allusion to 

 the difficulty of placing it, and the disturbance it occasions to 

 the harmony of previous arrangements. It is founded on a 

 single specimen of a small brown insect which my friend Mr. Fry 

 had received from Old Calabar, and which, with his usual libe- 

 rality, he insisted on sacrificing to me, as it belonged to the 

 family of my predilection. 



Mentum broad and almost covering the inferior parts of the 

 mouth, with a large tooth in the middle. Labrum almost entire, 

 very slightly emarginate. Mandibles bidentate; both maxillary 

 and labial palpi slender, the last lobe of each elongate-ovate. 

 Head short, broad, and transverse. Antennal grooves converging. 

 Antennae slender, except the club, longer than the head ; first 

 article rather large, second small and roundish, third longer 

 than the rest, fourth and fifth nearly equal, sixth, seventh, and 

 eighth progressively smaller — all minute; the club rather large. 



