208 A NATURALIST IN THE TRANSVAAL. 



sider to be sexual, but disagrees also iu some minor details with 

 Mr. Jacoby's description ; so that it may possibly represent a 

 distinct species. The sides of the prothorax slightly diverge 

 from the base up to about the anterior third, and thence 

 converge to the apex; the disk of the prothorax is almost 

 impunctate ; the greatest width of the thorax is rather less than 

 twice the length. The punctuation of the elytra is arranged in 

 double rows, the intervals between each pair of rows forming 

 slightly raised longitudinal lines, which are more distinct on the 

 disk. " 



The antennae of the male are almost as long as the body ; the 

 hind tibiae of the same sex are each furnished with a long 

 slender spur, which arises on the inner side at about the 

 beginning of the distal fourth, and passing alongside the tibia, 

 terminates just beyond it in a little spine. The apex of the 

 last ventral segment of the male has a slight notch or incision 

 on each side, a short median lobe being thus formed. 



In other respects (the characters here given excepted) Mr. 

 Dist ant's specimen agrees with Jacoby's description. 



The remarkable tibial spur, which, like the tibiae, is provided 

 with short grey hairs, except on the terminal spine, is possessed 

 also by the males ofXenarthra ? calcarata, Gerstaeck., Xenarthra 

 bipunctata, Allard (Ann. Ent. Belg. 1889, p. cxiv), and a species'* 

 from the Transvaal hitherto undescribed, which I name in honour 

 of my distinguished friend. These three species, though differ- 

 ing from the male described above by the greater length of the 



* Spilocephalus distanti, sp. n. 



tf . Head, legs, and antennae fulvous, the latter slightly infuscate towards 

 the apex. Prothorax, elytra, and underside of body metallic green. Head 

 deeply excavated in front, with a median process passing upwards from the 

 epistome ; vertex transversely impressed between the eyes, and with a short 

 triangular lobe, impressed longitudinally, projecting between the antennae. 

 Prothorax with its sides gradually diverging from the base almost up to the 

 apex, its anterior width about twice the median length ; the disk dull, with 

 a faint, median, longitudinal, impressed line, and with two shallow depres- 

 sions one on each side near the base. Elytra rather strongly and very 

 closely punctured, subnitid. Antennae a third longer than the body. Hind 

 tibiae each with a long slender spur. 



Hob. Transvaal. (Brit. Mus. Collection.) (C.J.G.) 



