163 



spot is strongly narrowed to its apex, the lateral ones on 

 one specimen are connected together, so as to appear like a 

 very irregular vitta, but on the other they are disconnected 

 externally. 



Trichaulax philipsii, Schreib. 



This species is variable in size, in clothing, and in colour 

 of prothorax. The smallest specimen now before me measures 

 19 mm., the largest 37 mm. 



The prothorax in the typical form is of a dingy-red, with 

 the margins black, but the two colours are usually not sharply 

 limited. Most specimens, however, have the prothorax en- 

 tirely black. 



The clothing varies from almost white, to a conspicuous 

 rusty-red or ochreous. On small specimens the prothorax, 

 whether red or black, is often rather densely clothed, except 

 in the middle; but the sides are sometimes sparsely clothed, 

 even on large specimens. Mostly, however, the prothorax is 

 glabrous. The clothing to a certain extent appears to be 

 deciduous, or at least specimens that have been in spirits 

 for some time are generally less densely clothed that those 

 that have not been so preserved. The extremely active lives 

 led by specimens also probably causes much of the clothing 

 on the prothorax and other unprotected parts to be quickly 

 abraded. Counting from the suture, the first and second 

 hairy grooves are generally conspicuously separated at the 

 base, but on some specimens (particularly on small and very 

 hairy ones) the two appear to be conjoined at the extreme 

 base. This appearance is due to the hair being continued to 

 the base itself, the grooves themselves not being so continued. 



The size and density of the punctures are also variable. 



Seen from behind the elytra appear to be supplied with 

 five shining ridges, wide at the base and gradually narrow- 

 ing posteriorly. In addition a less distinct and shorter ridge 

 is present towards each side, but is frequently partly or en- 

 tirely concealed by the clothing. Of the ridges the three 

 outer ones on each elytron are conjoined to form the pre- 

 apical callus ; the seventh ridge is the suture, and posteriorly 

 is usually concealed. At the base the two outer hairy grooves 

 (frequently appearing as but one) on each side, are deflected 

 obliquely downwards, so as almost, or quite, to touch .the 

 side near the base. 



The male differs from the female in having a wide de- 

 pression along the abdomen (the female is regularly convex 

 there) ; the prothorax is less transverse, the elytra are some- 

 what narrower posteriorly, and the front tibiae are less con- 

 spicuously dentate, the teeth (except the apical one) being 

 g2 



