1866.] MR. F. P. PASCOE ON THE COLEOPTERA OF PENANG. 535 



side below the disk a longitudinal V-shaped scar-like depression ; 

 scutellum triangular ; elytra covered with small crowded punctures, 

 divided by short transverse lines, or, in other words, transversely 

 corrugated, each elytron indistinctly marked with two raised lines, 

 its apex oblicpiely truncate ; body beneath glossy golden green ; legs 

 blue, or violet-blue ; antennae dark blue, the first five joints covered 

 more or less with short tuberculate spines. Length 8 lines. 



This seems to be a variable species, so far as size and amount of 

 spinosity on the antennae are concerned. Generally the coxae are 

 reddish ; but I have a small specimen, with much less rugose an- 

 tennae, in which the colour is scarcely to be distinguished from that 

 of the femora. The example described above is from Sarawak, 

 where, as well as in Singapore, the species was taken by Mr. Wallace. 



PrIONIDjE. 



Remphan. 

 Remphan, Waterhouse, Trans. Ent. Soc. ser. 1. i. p. 67. 



Remphan hopei, Waterhouse, I. c. pi. 8. f. 1. 



Remphan appears to differ from Macrotoma solely in the greater 

 length of the scape, which is thus rather longer than the third joint 

 — a character directly opposed to the true Macrotomce. The re- 

 marks of M. Guerin Meneville on this genus are so apposite, and 

 are so much more applicable at the present time, that we think we 

 are doing some service in calling attention to them here. He says, 

 " The genus Remphan of Mr. Waterhouse, it seems to us, ought to 

 be placed near Macrotoma. The author has forgotten to state its 

 affinities, after having given its generic characters, commencing 

 with the head and finishing with the abdomen, just as is the custom 

 with many entomologists, and which is very convenient for celerity. 

 In fact, in thus freeing one's self from the researches which ought to 

 be really made in order to fix the place of a new genus, the task is 

 reduced to almost mechanical work ; for it is only to say all or almost 

 all that can be seen of an insect to describe it, and leave to the poor 

 reader the care and perplexity of picking out whatever seems good 

 to him"*. Mr. Waterhouse is, however, one of the last that we 

 can complain of in this respect ; but the systematic determination of 

 some to content themselves with the barest descriptions, without 

 giving the slightest clue to the position of their new genera, ought 

 to disentitle them to the right of priority in the event of any of 

 these genera being afterwards described in a conscientious and re- 

 cognizable manner. Of course, it is a different matter when it is 

 stated of any new genus that its affinities are doubtful or unknown 

 to its author. As M. Guerin Meneville observes, these mechanical 

 descriptions can be done by any one ; the real test of competency 

 will be found in the observations which every conscientious writer 

 will feel it his duty to make in instituting, or proposing to insti- 

 tute, a new genus. 



* Iconograpliie du rcgne Animal, Insectes, p. 212. 



