1896.] of the Coleoptera of South Africa. 541 



Synopsis of Species. 



Prothorax rufescent or piceous red, subfoveate ; outer longitudinal 

 discoidal grooves deep and reaching from the base to a short 

 distance from the apex gracilis. 



Prothorax black, aciculate, a little more elongate, outer discoidal 

 grooves shallow, nearly obliterate behind longlcollis. 



Bascanus gracilis. 



Mandibles, palpi, antennae, and legs light ferruginous, labrum and 

 anterior part of the head also ferruginous ; head with a smooth 

 shining ferruginous median space edged by two rounded carinae 

 reaching about the median part, lateral ridge very well defined and 

 reaching a little short of the eye, posterior part of the head very 

 closely and deeply punctured ; prothorax cordiform on the anterior 

 part, elongated behind and nearly parallel for one-fourth of the 

 length, and with the posterior angle projecting, truncate at both ends, 

 moderately convex, except at the base, roughly and closely punctured, 

 piceous red or reddish brown ; median longitudinal groove deep, 

 moderately broad, reaching short of both apex and base, the outer 

 discoidal grooves as deep and broad as the median one, a little 

 shorter apically, but reaching to the same basal distance, basal part 

 without any impressions ; elytra black ovate, with the shoulders well 

 rounded, nearly twice as broad as the prothorax, depressed along 

 the suture for half the length and not much convex laterally nor 

 l^ehind, very little sinuated laterally in the posterior part, very slightly 

 striate, with the intervals finely shagreened, and with a very short, 

 greyish pubescence ; under side piceous or piceous red. Length 5^- 

 6 mm. ; width 2-2 J mm. 



Hah. Cape Colony (Caledon, Oudtshoorn). 



Bascanus longicollis. 



Closely allied to the preceding species, from which it differs by the 

 shape of the prothorax, which is less ampliate in the middle and 

 therefore less cordiform, and parallel behind for one-third of the 

 length, the median groove reaches from near the apex to the base, 

 l)ut the lateral discoidal grooves are not deep and only well defined 

 in the median part of the disk, which is also less roughly shagreened, 

 there is also a lateral depression near the posterior angle better 

 defined than in B. gracilis ; the elytra are similar in shape, equally 

 shagreened and pubescent, but with the striae a little deeper. 

 Length 6 mm. ; width 2-|- mm. 



Hah. Cape Colony (Grahamstown). 



