316 Mr. A. Murray on Coleoptera from Old Calabar. 
Melittomma castaneum. Fig. 1. 
Castaneum, elytris dilutioribus, opacum, levis- 1 
sime punctatum, sericeo pubescens; thorace . 
elongato, fere parallelo, lateribus medio 
parum angulatis; elytris 84 thoracis longi- 
tudine. 
Long. 9 lin., lat. 14 lin. 
Very close to Hyloceetus brasiliensis of Castelnau, almost the only 
distinction being that it is a very little smaller, darker in colour, 
and that the posterior lateral margins of the thorax are sinuate, 
while in brasiliensis they are straight and form a slightly obtuse 
basal angle. It is a good deal like Hyloccetus dermestoides, but 
longer and of firmer texture, chestnut-coloured, the elytra paler 
than the head and thorax, very finely punctate and fulvo-sericeo- 
pubescent. The eyes are subtriangular in shape; the granu- 
lations interspersed with a short, fulvous, silky pubescence. 
The thorax is a little longer than broad; the sides are slightly 
angled in the middle, where it is widest, and slightly sinuate 
both before and behind the middle; the anterior angles obtusely 
rounded, posterior angles rectangular; the surface is finely 
granulosely and very closely punctate, dull, with sericeous re- 
flexion from the pubescence ; there is a slight depression on each 
side behind the middle, and before it towards the anterior angles, 
and also before the middle on each side of the disk; the sides 
are very finely margined, most so posteriorly ; the anterior 
margin is nearly straight, slightly emarginate in the middle; 
the basal margin slightly bisinuate. Scutellum nearly oblong, 
angles of the apex rounded. Elytra more than three times the 
length of the thorax, rather more finely granulosely punctate 
than the thorax, most so towards the base and shoulders, which 
are very slightly shining; there are four slightly raised coste, 
besides a slightly raised sutural line and outer margin; the two 
innermost coste are united together near the apex, and from the 
point of union a single line continues obliquely outwards and 
backwards a short distance, when it is united to the next costa ; 
this last is very faint, and is least distinct towards the base; 
the outer costa is near the margin, and scarcely visible when 
viewed from above. ach elytron terminates at the apex in a 
peak, the termination of which is rounded. There is a slightly 
raised sutural line; but the space between it and the innermost 
costa falls towards the suture. The underside is sericeous 
and granulosely punctate, like the upper. The legs are very 
like those of the Heteromerous genera Serropalpus, Phloiotroia, 
and the neighbouring groups, as indeed are those of the whole 
family of Lymexylonide. 
