1892.] 



of the Goleoptera of South Africa, 



and I propose another arrangement of the species, laying stress, how- 

 ever, on the extreme difficulty of identifying the varieties. I do not 

 myself believe that I have done better than those who have attempted 

 this classification before, and I am not quite satisfied with my own 

 arrangement, yet T believe it will make identification more easy than 

 heretofore .1 



I recognise 7 species : — 





1. M. tuberculata. 



De Geer. 



gigantea. 



Thunb. 



maxillosa. 



Fabric. 



granulata. 



Klug. 



DregeL 



Casteln. 



Sicheli, 



Thoms. 



var. tibialis. 



Bohem. 



2. M. mygaloides. 



Thoms. 



Ludovici, 



Casteln. 



var. damarensis. 



Pering. 



3. M. Livingstoni. 



Casteln. 



4. M. latiipennis. 



Waterh. 



5. M. herculean a. 



Klug. 



6. M. scabra. 



Klug. 



var. pseudo scabra. 



Paring. 



7. M. ferox. 



Pering. 



The facies is very much the same for all the species, the difference 

 l)eing mostly in size, greater or lesser ampliation of the elytra in the 

 middle and the declivity behind ; the colour is black, sometimes dark- 

 brown ; the shape of the mandibles is nearly the same {M. ferox ex- 

 cepted), the head and prothorax are always vaguely punctured and have 

 a few rigid bristles, the granulation consists of small, sharp, conical 

 tubercles, directed backwards and carrying a fine bristle, this granula- 

 tion is always more defined and closely set at the declivity where there 

 is also a more or less distinct apical tuberculated ridge on each side, 



'I have had to modify my arrangement as given in my 3rd csntrib. to S. Afric. 

 Coleopt. Trans. S. Afric. Phil. Soc. 1892. 



