the S. African Sfiecies 0/ Attains. oil 



wanting such structures : Attuius is of world- wide distribu- 

 tion, but seems to be poorly represented in Cape Colony ; 

 Eucerapheles may be said to replace Anthocomus *, and 

 Notuinalucliiiis to represent Malachius, in S. Africa. The 

 description of a new Hcdybius recently captured by 

 Mr. Gedye at Nairobi is also added. 



Attalus. 



Attalus, Erichson, Entomographien, p. 89 (1840) ; Abeille de Perriu, 

 Anu, Soc. Ent. Fr. 18W, p. 400 (l«9l) ; Champiou, Traus. Eut. Soc. 

 Lond. 1914, p. 41. 



A few S. African forms, mostly of small size, are referred 

 to Attalus. They agree in liaving the anterior portion of 

 head and the apices of the elytra simple in the two sexes, 

 and the second anterior tarsal joint of the J raised or pro- 

 duced at the tip above ; one species, A. bituberculatus, has 

 two small tubercles between the eyes in the same sex. The 

 antenuie, which are greatly elongated in A. oneili, Pic, c? , 

 are more or less serrate, dentate, or pectinate. Attalus 

 ridens and ornatipennis, Gorh., have been transferred by me 

 to Ehceus; and A. albofascintus and ^1. luyens, Gorh., and 

 A. marginipennis, Ab., to the Dasytid-genus Payurodactylus. 



1. Attalus brevithorax. 

 9 . Attalus brevithorax, Pic, L'Ecbange, xix. p. Vrl (1903). 



Hab. S. Africa, Dunbrody. 



This insect is described as a large, broad, robust form 

 (length 4 mm.), with a dull blackish head and prothorax 

 (the reddish basal border excepted), shining cupreous, 

 )-ather uneven elytra, and black antenna? (joints 1-3 in part 

 excepted) and legs. A ? from Willowmore {Dr. Brauns), 

 lent me by Dr. Peringuey, seems to be a variety of the same 

 species with the red basal margin of the prothorax broader 

 and extending forward along the sides to the anterior angles ; 

 the elytra brassy-cupreous, and closely, minutely punctate ; 

 the antennte rather stout, long, with joints 5-10 triangular. 



* Bobenian, Gcnliam, and Pic have included various S. African insects 

 xmAt'T Anthocovws, Er., but they are not really congeneric with the type 

 of that pen us, Malachius sanffuinuleiitus, F. : A. diyuyictus and A. coro- 

 natus, Bob., have been referred by me to Paf/urodacti/lus, Gorl)., group 

 D.i>ytina3; A. raviicornin, Boh., ^. ajtriciis, (jorh., and A. martini anli 

 dnnbrodemisy Pic, to Ebccus ; and A. coriaceus, Gorh., to Dusytes. 



37* 



