150 [July, 



strongly thickened, this thickening gradually decreasing towards thp posterior 

 angles. Scutelluni rather elongate, triangular, its sutures very fine and not 

 easily discernible. Elytra subparallel, evenly convex from side to side broadly 

 rounded behind: epipleura complete to apex, invisible from above. Wings 

 well developed. All the coxae narrowly separated ; prosternal process lanceo- 

 late, projecting a little beyond the coxae. Femora broad and flat, bean-shnped, 

 deeply excavate beneath in the distal half for the reception of the proximal 

 half of the tibiae ; tibiae stout, slightly conipre>8ed, apical spurs well de- 

 veloped. Tarsi stout, their joints closely compact, without constrictions 

 between them, more or less tapering from base to apex. 



Type, C. hiaffoides, sp. n. 



A highly abermnt genus. In many respects it furnishes a curious 

 ])arallel with the Australian genus Adelofojius (fam. Carahidae'), and in 

 all probability like this is myrmeeophilous or termitopliilous in habit. 

 The species of both genem have the same elongate plano-convex 

 form, so that the insect on contracting its limbs and " sitting tight " 

 presents an absolutely unassailable front, or rather back, to its efiemies ; 

 in both of them the antennae and tarsi exhibit the same compact build, 

 without constrictions between the joints. In other respects they attain 

 the same result by different means, e. g. in Catohleps the head is com- 

 pletely hidden beneath the carapace of the prothorax, but in Adelotopus 

 it forms the anterior part of the general shield, fitting accurately into the 

 prothorax. In Catohleps each side of the femur is produced into a 

 plate-like expansion which receive the tibia between them, like the 

 blade of a clasp-knife into its handle ; but in Adelotopus only the outer 

 side is so produced, the dorsal side, ?". e. that which lies against the 

 body, being quite normal. The American Carabid genus Pseudomorpha^ 

 allied to Adelotopus, exhibits somewhat similar adaptations, but to a less 

 degree. 



The most evident clue to the athnities of Catohleps h furnished by 

 the genus Stemmoderus Spin., which links it with the termitopliilous sub- 

 family Rhys(ypau9sinae of the Tenehrionidae, particularly with the genus 

 Gonocnemis Thomson ( = Acasfus Pering.). The sti-ucture of the an- 

 tennae and tai-si in both is very similar, and the cephalic structure of 

 Catohleps is an evident modification of that of Stemmoderus* 



The elytral sculpture is peculiar. The striae appear to be com- 

 pletely wanting, but fine raised lines represent the median carinae of 

 the intervals; these, though well devebj^el in C. cliatanayi, are scarcely 

 indicated in C. hlattoides. Syiccessive stages in this degeneration of 



* S. singidai-i« Spin., the only known species of this genus, has a wide rangje in Tropical Africa. 

 It was originally described from Senegal, and 1 have recorded its capture at Salisbury, Mafihonaland, 

 by Dr. G. A. K.' Marshall [Ann. & Mag. Xat. Hist. (S) li. 19i;5, p. 305] ; another specimen has lately 

 be«su received from Dr. G. D. H. Carpenter from Lulanguru, near Tabora, East Africa. 



