1896.] of the Coleoi^tera of South Africa. 293 



black bars or patches on the elytra, or sometimes lines or bands 

 of a hue lighter or darker than the background. The head is gene- 

 rally denuded in the centre, and the prothorax marginated with 

 white, or with a velvety median longitudinal band. 



The genus Graphipterus is represented in Senegal, the Gold Coast, 

 and Angola in the east, and Abyssinia in the west, also in Northern 

 and North-eastern Africa. But while those found in the first-named 

 parts are not unlike the South African ones in shape and colouring, 

 the North African ones have a very distinct facies and different 

 colouring, consisting of pure white markings on a black background ; 

 the elytra are also more orbicular. 



In Piezia the markings consist of short, white, or sometimes pale 

 yellow dorsal patches on a black, pubescent background ; the facies, 

 however, is very different from .that of Graphipterus, and is evi- 

 dently a transitory form between it and Polyhinna, of the tribe 

 Anthiades. These white markings, consisting of short white hairs, 

 are easily rubbed off or distorted, thus making the identification 

 very difficult at times if the examples are not in a perfect state of 

 preservation. 



Although considered at one time as a purely South African form, 

 Piezia has lately been recorded as occurring in Zanzibar, Tabora, 

 Benguela, and Somaliland, and in all these the facies is not very 

 different from that of the South African species. 



Synopsis of Genera. 



Ligula one-third shorter than the paraglossse, and entirely 

 surrounded by them ; nientum with a short sinuation at the 

 base ; prothorax short, broader than long ; elytra longer than 

 broad, ovate or elongato-quadrate Graj)hipterns. 



Ligula nearly as long as the paraglossse, but surrounded by 

 them ; mentum with a blunt, bifid tooth at the base ; prothorax 

 longer than broad ; elytra nearly always half as long as broad, 

 but not broader at the base than the base of the prothorax . . . . Piezia. 



Gen. GEAPHIPTEEUS, Latreille, 

 Hist. Nat. Ins., viii., 1804, p. 236. 

 Mentum broadly and deeply notched, with the lateral sides nearly 

 perpendicular and the basal part nearly transverse, but with a median 

 incised sinuation ; ligula slender, shorter than the paraglossae, which 

 are twice as broad and surround it in the anterior part ; palpi short, 

 robust, the last joints subfusiform, truncate at the tip, the second 

 labial one longer than the third by one-half ; labrum long, nearly 

 quadrate, truncate or very slightly sinuate at the tip, with six setiger 

 punctures at the apex ; head ovate, with an orbital ridge, the eight 



