MR. A. MURRAY'S MONOGRAPH OF THE FAMILY OF NITIDULARLE. 265 
8. Colour of the thorax and body black. Elytra black with a red patch. 
12. COLASTUS VULNERATUS. 
Erichs. in Germ. Zeitschr. iv. 240 (1843). 
Strongylus pauperculus, Dej. Cat. 135 (1837). 
Colastus plagiatus, Erichs. in Germ. Zeitschr. iv. 241 (1843). 
Colastus corticalis (Mus. Berol.). 
Leviter convexus, nitidus, longius pubescens, piceus vel niger; elytris leviter convexis, 
macula basali pedibusque testaceis. Long. 12-2 lin., lat. 1 lin. 
Habitat in Brasilia. 
Oval, slightly convex, slightly shining, piceous or black, clothed with a long fulvo- 
griseous pubescence. Head sparsely and deeply punctate; the mouth pale. Thorax bi- 
sinuate at the base, rounded on the sides, somewhat convex, deeply but not closely 
punctate. Scutellum thickly punctate. Elytra a half longer than the thorax, regularly 
punetate-striate, with the pubescence in rows, and marked by an oblong rufo-testaceous 
basal patch, interrupted at the suture and parallel to it, extending obliquely to the 
shoulder on the outer side. Abdomen more thickly punctate, the segments paler at the 
margins. Body below faintly punctate. Legs testaceous. 
It is marked similarly to C. bimaculatus and C. discoideus, but is more convex, smaller, 
and with a fulvous pubescence. 
I have examined with great care the typical specimens from which Erichson described 
this species and his C. plagiatus, as well as several specimens in other collections which had 
his authority for the accuracy of their names, but, notwithstanding, I have been unable to 
find any specific distinction. I have found the extent of the red basal patch on the elytra 
a little larger and more disposed as a basal fascia in C. plagiatus than in C. vulneratus; 
but Erichson does not give this as a distinguishing character: while, on the other hand, 
I have been unable to detect in his own specimens the characters on which he founded 
their distinction. He says that C. plagiatus is “ uncommonly like the preceding (C. vul- 
neratus), and is chiefly to be distinguished from it by the deeper punctuation of the 
somewhat shorter elytra, and the more sparing punctuation and at the same time shorter 
pubescence of the abdomen." If these differences exist, they are so small in degree that 
I think myself justified in disregarding them, and in considering both C. plagiatus and 
C. vulneratus to be the same species. 
This species is sometimes wholly flavescent, doubtless from immaturity. There are 
several specimens in that state standing apart in the Berlin collection under the pro- 
visional name of * C. corticalis ?” In Count Dejean’s collection this species stands under 
the name of Strongylus pauperculus. 
From Brazil Not very rare. 
13. CoLASTUS BIMACULATUS. 
Erichs. in Germ. Zeitschr. iv. 239 (1843). 
Depressus, niger, subtiliter pubescens ; elytris dense striato-punctatis, macula oblonga 
basali longitudinaliter posita rufa; pedibus piceis. Long. 2 lin., lat. 1j lin. 
Habitat in Columbia. 
