1906.] COLEOPTERA OF THE GENUS SCIOBIUS. 237 



Three other species have been erroneously ascribed to this 

 genus, namely : — 



(1) S. suhnodosus Woll. (Ann. Nat. Hist. (3) ix. 1869, p. 416). 

 The insect was described from St. Helena, and I have examined 

 the tjrpes in the WoUaston collection in the British Mviseum. The 

 species is clearly identical with Phlyctimos callostts Boh., which is 

 a. common vineyard and garden pest in many parts of Cape 

 Colony, and it is probable that it was accidentally imported 

 thence to St. Helena. 



(2) S. geniculatus Fst., which has proved to be identical with 

 Siteutes albicinctus Fst. (vide Stett. ent. Zeit. Iviii. p. 70). 



(3) S. mus Fst. Through the kindness of Dr. Walther Horn, 

 I possess two examples of this species from the XJkami Mts., 

 in German East Africa. They certainly do not belong to the 

 genus Sciohius, nor even to Lacordaire's tribe of " Otiorhynchides 

 vrais," owing to the enclosed corbels of their posterior tibise. 

 The species is really referable to the tribe Oosomides, and agrees 

 extremely well with both the description and figure of Sphrigodes 

 margaritacQus Gerst. (v. d. Decken's Reisen, Glied. p. 226, t. xi. 

 f. 6), with which it is probably synonymous. 



From all other genera of the Otiorhynchinae (except Galyptops 

 and Phlyctinus) iSciobms may be distinguished by the following 

 combination of characters : — the metasternum is very short ; the 

 three intermediate segments of the abdomen are subequal in 

 length ; the corbels of the posterior tibiae are entu^el}^ open ; the 

 tarsal claws are quite free ; and the second joint of the funicle 

 is always longer, and usually. much longer, than the first. 



Phlyctinus Schh., which contains but a single species, callosus 

 Boh., may be readily distinguished owing to its having the apex 

 of the rostrum entire (whereas in Sciohius it is deeply incised), 

 and also by its very prominent eyes, which are in the form of 

 obtuse cones directed backwards, while their facetting is distinctly 

 coarser than in Sciohius. On the other hand, Calyptojjs Schh. is 

 much more closely allied to the latter genus, and indeed tlie only 

 distinctive character would appear to be the two elevations on 

 the forehead above the eyes. I have not had an opportunity of 

 examining the unique species, C.granosus Boh., but judging from 

 the description and from Lacordaire's figure, it evidently pi'esents 

 a great affinity to some of the larger Sciobii, which, moreover, in 

 several instances show distinct traces of the supra-ocular ele- 

 vations. It is therefore not impossible that the genus may have 

 to be incorporated with Sciohius. 



Certain species of the genus Systates Gerst. and Isaniris Thorn, 

 present a superficial resemblance to some of the more slender 

 Sciohii, while Mitophorus Gerst. recalls the more rotund species. 

 But all these three genera may be difierentiated by their tarsal 

 claws which are connate (at the base only), and by their antennae, 

 in which the first two joints of the funicle are either equal or the 

 first is longer than the second. 



If we exclude *S'. paivanus Woll., the genus Sciohiiis as here 



