1887.] PHYTOPHAGOUS COLEOPTERA OF CEYLON. 71 



vous ; eyes entire ; palpi slender. Antennae filiform, fulvous, the 

 third and fourth joints slender, nearly equal, the terminal joints very 

 slightly thickened. Thorax twice as broad as long, the lateral 

 margin distinct, the anterior angles produced into a short tooth ; 

 surface covered with yellowish, slightly curved hairs like the head. 

 Scutellum pentagonal, clothed with thick white pubescence, margined 

 with piceous. Elytra wider than the thorax ; closely and distinctly 

 punctate-striate and pubescent like the thorax, between the shoul- 

 ders and the scutellum at the basal margin a white spot is placed, 

 four or five others limit the obscure dark transverse band below the 

 middle. Underside thickly covered with white scale-like pubescence. 

 All the femora armed with a strong tooth ; intermediate tibiae 

 emarginate at the apices ; claws bifid. 



Galle, Balangoda. 



The shape and colour of this species are subject to considerable 

 variation, some specimens being much more robust and broader than 

 others. The elytral obscure band is just visible with the naked eye 

 in most instances, and the spots which limit it above and below are 

 variable in number, white or yellowish, and composed of close and 

 thick pubescence ; there are generally three placed above, and two 

 below the elytral band. It is possible that Heteraspis alhostriata, 

 Motsch., may refer to this species, but the description of this author 

 is too vague to recognize the species with certainty. 



Demotina lewisi, sp. nov. 



Fuscous or dark piceous, covered with yellowish scale-like pube- 

 scence ; basal joints of the antennae fulvous; scutellum whitish; 

 elytra closely punctate-striate, each elytron with two more or less 

 distinct rows of white spots. 



Length 2 lines. 



Antennae more than two thirds the length of the body, the third 

 and fourth joints equal, the five terminal joints slightly thickened. 

 Thorax twice as broad as long, the sides strongly rounded, the 

 surface closely and finely rugose-punctate like the head. Scutellum 

 thickly clothed with whitish pubescence. Elytra closely covered 

 with yellowish scale-like pubescence, the punctuation distinct, close 

 and arranged in rows ; each elytron with two stripes of whitish 

 pubescent spots, of which one is placed at a little distance and close 

 to the suture, the other at the middle of the disk and extending 

 from the shoulder to the apex ; besides the pubescence single short 

 black and stiff bristles are seen on the surface of the elytra. Legs 

 dark fulvous, the femora with a distinct tooth. 



Galle. 



D. lewisi is smaller than the preceding species, the thorax is not 

 depressed at the sides and without any stripes or other marks as in 

 D. thoracica ; the elytra are differently marked and without the 

 transverse rows of spots as in the last-named species ; the punctua- 

 tion of the elytra in D. lewisi is also much deeper and stronger : from 

 D. semifasciata the absence of the elytral band sufficiently separates 

 the present species. 



