356 MR. &. LEWIS ON JAPATfESE LATSraFEIID^E. 



found far from water, and are most about daring fhe wet season, 

 when the elimatal conditions in South Japan closely resemble 

 those of a tropical atmosphere. 



The thick pubescence or padding beneath the apical fold of 

 the elytra would act, if necessary, to prevent water from entering 

 the space between the elytra and abdomen ; but my observations 

 are too limited to allow me to do more than hint at the use of 

 this structure. If the mandibles of the male are used for gnawing 

 bamboo after the manner of L. Mozardi in clover, they would 

 mechanically act like the parrot-beaked scissors of horticul- 

 turalists. 



Lak&ueia estgens, n. sp. (Plate XIV. figs. 4 & 5.) 

 Elongata, supra aeneaseu seneo-virida, niticla; capite thoraceque undique 



punctatis ; elytris striato-punctatis, interstitiis minute coriaceis^ corpore 



subtus cum pedibus seneo-nigro, segmentis abdominalibus rufis exceptis ; 



antennis sensim ampliatis 8-11 subtransversis. (S femoribus anticis 



subtus obsoleto-serrato-dentatis. Long. 1 1 mill. 



This species is the largest in the genus from Japan, and comes 

 near to L. pectoralis. It is easily separated from it by its large 

 size, broader head, colour beneath, and the general contour of 

 the elytra. The anterior angles of the thorax are never pale, but 

 concolorous with the upper surface. Elytra are widest at the 

 humeral angle, and gradually lessen towards the apex: L.pectoralis 

 has a more parallel outline, owing to the greater width before 

 the apex. The canthus of the eye at the point nearest the neck 

 thickens, and from above looks like an angulated tubercle, and 

 seems to serve as a protection to the eye during the retractile 

 movements of the head, and is perhaps caused by the friction which 

 then takes place. It is easy to distinguish the sexes in L. ingens 

 by the dilatation of the fore tarsi ; but in L. pectoralis this sexual 

 character is scarcely observable. 



The localities of this species are Chiuzenji and Junsai : on 

 perennials within a few yards of the lakes in these places. 

 I took twenty-five specimens. 



The type of Languria pectoealis, C. Waterh. (fig. 6, s), is a 

 female of L. conveccicoUis. In this and L. ingens the males have a 

 series of small denticulations on the undersides of the femora ; 

 the middle and hind tibiae are somewhat bent, and at the apex of 

 each is a small well-defined process or tooth (fig. 5) on the inner 

 side. The female has the middle and hind tibiae simple, and the 

 fore tibiae are simple in both sexes. 



