1896.] of the Colcoptera of South Africa. 551 



broader at base than the prothorax, striate, and with the intervals 

 plane and smooth. Length 6-7 mm. ; width 2J-2-|- mm. 



Hah. Cape Colony (Cape Town, Oudtshoorn). 



I have seen one example from Cape Town in which the basal 

 punctures were absent in the prothorax. 



Abacetus nanniscus. 



Black, shining, but with the elytra less intensely black than the 

 prothorax ; antennae black, with the exception of the three basal 

 joints which are reddish ; legs and tarsi more or less piceous red ; 

 head smooth, .frontal sulci moderately deep and not arcuate ; pro- 

 thorax ampliate laterally in the anterior part, diagonal from past the 

 median to near the posterior part, and not sinuate, posterior angle 

 slightly sharp, basal part punctulate ; elytra oblong, not broader at 

 base than the prothorax, striate, intervals plane and smooth, the 

 puncture on the third interval is hardly distinct. Length 5-5J mm. ; 

 width 2 mm. 



Hah. Cape Colony (Cape Town). 



Abacetus pumilus, Bohem., 

 Insect. Caffr., vol. i., p. 185. 



Head and prothorax black ; elytra with a dark green tinge ; legs 

 and the three basal joints of antennae red ; head smooth, frontal 

 sulci deep and arcuate ; prothorax as in A. aterrimus, and also 

 deeply punctured at base ; elytra not broader than the prothorax, 

 elongated, a little depressed, striate, the striae very finely aciculate, 

 intervals smooth. Length 6 mm. ; width 2 mm. 



Hah. Damaraland (Kookarrah). 



Abacetus trechoides. 



Piceous brown, shining; the three basal joints of antennae and 

 the legs ferruginous red; the prothorax and elytra are depressed, 

 the former is cordiform, but as broad as long, not punctured at the 

 base, the outer angles are very sharp ; the elytra are oblong, deeply 

 striate, with the intervals plane, and the puncture on the third 

 interval is very distinct. 



Differs from A. pumilus by the size and colour ; the prothorax is 

 not so ampliate in the anterior part and is thus more cordiform ; 

 both species are more depressed than any other South African 

 Abacetus. Length 7 mm. ; width 3 mm. 



Hah. Cape Colony (Grahamstown, Uitenhage). 



