236 MR. M. JACOBT ON THE [Mar. 15, 



South Africa, aud both characterized only by short diagnoses. One 

 of them, M. tarsalis Chap., seems closely allied in many respects 

 to the present insect, but differs in the colour of the upper surface 

 aud that of the tarsi, while the under surface is described as black ; 

 the species obtained by Mr. Marshall is entirely of a dark blue 

 colour with a cupreous-tinted underside. The genus is well charac- 

 terized by the short antennae, the scale-like pubescence, and the 

 structure of the prosternum. 



Stageus makshalI/I, sp. nov. 



Fulvous, intermediate joints of the antennae fuscous, thorax 

 semi-rugose punctate ; elytra deeply punctate-striate, the inter- 

 stices costate, a round spot before and an elongate one below 

 the middle (sometimes connected) black ; femora with a strong 

 tooth. 



Length 5 millim. 



Head strongly but not closely punctured, with a short central 

 groove ; eyes large, deeplj^ notched ; clypeus deeply punctured, 

 separated from the face by a row of punctures ; mandibles piceous ; 

 antennte slender, extending beyoud the middle of the elytra, 

 fulvous, the seventh and eighth joints obscure fuscous, the second 

 joint nearly as long as the first, the third slightly shorter than 

 the second, the others more elongate again ; thorax one-half 

 broader than long, the sides evenly rounded, the anterior angles 

 prominent, the surface very deeply and closely punctured, the 

 interstices slightly rugose and convex ; elytra wider at the base 

 thau the thorax, with a shallow depression below the base, regularly 

 and deeply punctate-striate, the interstices longitudinally costate, 

 more strongly so at the sides, each elytron with a round black spot 

 before the middle and followed below the latter by a more 

 elongate spot ; underside and legs fulvous like the upper surface, 

 the femora with a strong tooth. 



Hah. Sahsbury, Mashonaland (6^. Marshall), obtained by sweeping 

 in a marsh and also found under bark. 



Among the species with spotted elytra, the present one seems 

 most nearly allied to /S. corrosicolUs Lefev. on account of the 

 strong punctuation of the thorax, but that species is described as 

 having a rugosely punctured or corrose head and the femora armed 

 with a very minute tooth. 



Syagetts MASHo:tfANus Jac. P. Z. S. 1897, p. 544. 



This species was described by me in the Society's ' Proceedings ' 

 for 1897, but I must here refer to some aberrations in regard 

 to coloration which Mr. Marshall obtained at Xatal aud at SaUs- 

 bury. Some of these specimens are entirely fulvous with the 

 exception of the last five terminal joints of the antennae, which 

 are black as in the type ; other specimens, however, are almost 

 entu-ely black, with the apex of the elyti*a and the tibiae pale 

 fulvous ; and a thii-d aberration is intermediate between the two 

 extreme forms. In all the structural characters are the same and 



