1900.] Catalogue of the Coleoptera of South Africa. 



41 



surface is covered with extremely fine sub-shiny granules, the 

 suture is shiny ; tibijB ciliate, with moderately dense, but not very 

 long black hairs, anterior tibiae with four strong, sharp outer teeth, 

 and closely serrulate on both sides ; metasternum sharply carinate 

 at tip, and narrowly grooved from nearly the apex to a little beyond 

 the apical part of the coxal excavation of the intermediate legs ; the 

 w^hole of the sides and the pygidium is impunctate. 



Length 18-22 mm. ; width 11-14 mm. 



Hab. Cape Colony (Worcestel% Stellenbosch, Paarl, Tulbagh, 

 Somerset East). 



SCARAB.EUS VIATOR, n. SpeC, 



Plate XXXVIL, fig. 11. 



The description of 8. suri suits this species, which, however, 

 varies sensibly. The colour is nearly always opaque with the 

 suture slightly shining, but I have seen examples shiuing a little ; 

 the punctures on the prothorax are shallower, the median longitu- 

 dinal line is slightly visible, but very often disappears altogether, 

 and the diagonal smooth spaces have disappeared, leaving a faint 

 supra-basal depression on each side of the median line, which 

 impressions are often obliterated ; elytra striate with the intervals 

 plane, finely and closely granulose, the granules slightly shining. 



Length 18-23 mm. ; width 11-14 mm. 



This species differs somewhat in the sculpture of the prothorax, 

 and could be divided in two groups : — 



A^ Prothorax with a more or less distinct depression on each side of the central 

 longitudinal line S. viator. 



This sub-species is rare in the western part of the Colony (Worces- 

 ter, Beaufort West, Knysna), and more abundant in the eastern 

 (Graham's Town, Port Elizabeth, Uitenhage). 



A\ Prothorax without any trace of a depression on each side of the central longi- 

 tudinal line S. viato7', Quh-9=,-pecies, dccc2Jtor. 



This sub-species is generally smaller and has a wider range (Cape 

 Town), Transvaal (Potchefstroom), Bechuanaland (Kanye),and very 

 much resembles in size and appearance >S'. amhigK/iis ; but the latter 

 can be distinguished by the total absence of the median line on tlie 

 prothorax in the base of which the punctures are obliterated towards 

 the outer angle, whereas in deceijtor these punctures are continued 

 along the w^hole base. 



