1897.] PHYTOPHAGOUS COLEOPTERA OF AFRICA. 241 



dividing each puncture; in one specimen the last joint o£ the 

 antennae is fulvous, the preceding ones fuscous, and the basal joints 

 as in the type. 



Lbma semipurpurea, n. sp. 



Black, with bluish gloss ; antennae short ; thorax with rounded 

 sides, finely punctured ; elytra purplish or bluish, deeply and 

 closely punctate-striate, the ninth row entire. 



Length 2| lines. 



Head with some deep punctures at the vertex, the latter with 

 two obscure small fulvous spots, more or less distinct, and a central 

 longitudinal groove, frontal elevations absent, the space surrounding 

 the eyes rugose : antennae scarcely extending to the middle of the 

 elytra, black, pubescent, the fifth and following joints rather robust 

 and widened, one-half longer than broad ; thorax subquadrate, 

 scarcely one-half broader than long, but very moderately constricted 

 at the sides, the anterior half rather widened or thickened, but 

 rounded, the anterior angles not produced, the basal sulcus deep, 

 the space at the sides within the constriction transversely rugose, 

 the rest of the surface finely punctured throughout, with some 

 larger punctures intermixed ; scutellum not longer than broad ; 

 elytra subcylindrical, without basal depression, metallic purplish or 

 bluish, deeply and strongly punctured, the punctures large and 

 closely placed, but diminishing at the apex, where the interstices 

 are as usual, convex ; underside and legs black, with a bluish gloss, 

 the posterior femora only extending to the second abdominal 

 segment. 



Hah. Mashonaland (6r. Marshall). 



From the smaller metallic species of Lema from Africa, L. semi- 

 2nirpurea is well distinguished by the shape and punctuation of 

 the thorax, the former is far more approaching to a cylindrical 

 shape than is the case in most species from that region, although 

 not to the extent that is found in two or three species ; the glabrous 

 upper surface and want of an elytral depression separate the 

 species from L. azurea, Klug, and its alUed forms. 



Lema tabsata, n. sp. (Plate XVII. fig. 1.) 



Head, antennae (the basal four joints excepted), the breast, and 

 the tarsi black ; thorax flavous, foveolate, and punctured ; elytra 

 deeply punctate-striate, flavous, the suture and the lateral margins 

 bluish ; legs and abdomen flavous. 



Var. Elytra without dark bands, underside entirely black. 



Length 2 lines. 



Head black, strongly rugose and finely pubescent, the neck more 

 or less fulvous, sometimes with a small black central spot, the 

 space between the eyes with a deep central groove ; labrum and 

 palpi black ; antennae extending to the middle of the elytra, black, 

 the lower four joints flavous, terminal joints rather robust, twice 

 as long as broad ; thorax subquadrate, one-half broader than long, 

 the sides strongly widened towards the apex, the latter with a 



Peoc. Zool. See— 1897, No. XVL 16 



