1898.] PHYTOPHAGOUS COLEOPTERA OF AFEICA. 233 



the middle of the disc with a narrow smooth space ; scutellum with 

 a few fine punctures, scarcely broader than long ; elytra rather 

 elongate in the male, slightly wilder at the base than the thorax, 

 with a very shallow depression below the base, sculptured like the 

 thorax, but the punctures much more closely placed, the interstices 

 everywhere finely transversely rugose and clothed with very short 

 white hairs when seen sideways ; underside metallic green, the 

 breast finely wrinkled and pubescent as well as the prosternum ; 

 legs fulvous, the anterior ones elongate in the male, the tarsi more 

 or less piceous. 



Hah. Maritzburg, Natal. 



C semiJiirsutum differs from any of its numerous congeners in 

 the strong punctuation of the thorax, the transverse rugosities of 

 the elytra, which are not only confined to the sides but also to the 

 disc in the male, and the short pubescence, which can be seen only 

 when the insect is viewed sideways ; the female differs only in 

 the shorter anterior legs and less transverse thorax. There are 

 three specimens in my collection, which are all of a bright metallic 

 green colour. 



COLASPOSOMA MAESHALLI, sp. nOV. 



Brownish or greenish aeneous, finely pubescent, basal joints of 

 the antennae fulvous, thoi-ax rugosely punctured ; elytra transversely 

 rugose throughout, the interspaces deeply punctured. 



Length 4-5 millim. 



Head strongly and closely punctured, purplish, with a smooth 

 central cupreous space, the anterior portion obsoletely depressed ; 

 antennae fulvous, the upper joints more or less stained with 

 greenish aeneous, four terminal joints widened ; thorax more than 

 twice as broad as long, the sides slightly widened towards the base, 

 nearly straight, the disc closely and deeply punctured, the inter- 

 stices rugose, the middle with a short smooth narrow space, each 

 puncture provided with a very short white hair ; scutellum 

 cupreous, broader than long, with a few punctures ; elytra slightly 

 widened towards the apex, closely covered with transverse rugo- 

 sities, the interstices with some deep punctures and sparingly 

 clothed with short whitish pubescence ; the underside more or less 

 metallic and similarly pubescent, the abdomen and the legs fulvous 

 with metallic gloss. 



Hab. Salisbury, Mashonaland (G. Marshall). 



Among the African species of Oolasposoma having the thorax 

 more or less clothed with pubescence, the present species is dis- 

 tinguished by the peculiar brownish aeneous colour of its upper 

 surface, with shades of metallic green here and there, and by the 

 entirely rugose elytra, in which the rugosities extend quite to the 

 suture. Two specimens are before me, agreeing in all details. 



CoLASPOSOMA PIitTMBEUM, Sp. nOV. 



Dark violaceous blue or bright green, finely pubescent, the an- 

 tennae black ; thorax strongly and rather closely punctured ; elytra 



