DESCRIPTIONS OF MALACODERMATA 595 



of the antennae, the latter are entirely fuscous black, if the 

 insertion itself and the basal tubercles are excepted. The thorax 

 is somewhat pentagonal in the male , being rounded however in 

 front, so as not to exhibit any very distinct front angles; the 

 disk is depressed and fossulate near the base in the middle; it 

 is with the scutellum entirely fulvous. The elytra are almost 

 or quite free from pubescence, they are yellow from one half 

 to two thirds of their length. The breast is pitchy but all the 

 coxae , and the trochanthers , and base of the femora are yellow. 

 In the male the apical ventral and in the female the two apical 

 segments of the ventral, and the dorsal plates in both sexes 

 are pale fuscous. 



In the collection there are five specimens of this insect from 

 Ansaba and an equal number from Keren. 



Genus novum Silidius. 



Caput exsertum, postice angustatum, antennae filiformes^ oculi 

 prominentes. Prothorax (maris) suborhiculatum^ lateribus pone me- 

 dium denticulatis plicatis {feminae) minute plicatis. Abdominis 

 segmentum ullimum (maris sexlum) fissum^, quam pygidiale bre- 

 viore. Ungues antici fissi. 



Hab. Abyssinia. 



The insect for which I propose this genus forms an impor- 

 tant link between the genera Silis^ Discodon and Rhagonycha. 



To the latter the split claws might seem to indicate some 

 affinity , but it is to be observed that this character is here con- 

 fined to the male sex, and in it to the front or outer claws. 

 It is therefore much more nearly allied to the genus Discodon 

 which I have defined for Central American species in which 

 the apical segment in the male is split. 



I. Silidius aethiopicus, n. sp. 



Sordide lividus, capite, antennis, palpis, prothoracis disco maculis 

 duabuSj pedibus (basi excepta), elytrorumque macula basali haud 

 bene discreta, nigro-fuscis. Long. 9-12 millim. c/' 9 • 



