1896.] of the Coleoptera of South Africa. 599 



Tachys humeralis. 



Piceous red, shining ; palpi, legs, and the basal joint of antennae 

 fiavescent, the five following joints slightly infuscate and the five 

 apical ones whitish ; prothorax regularly cordate laterally for two- 

 thirds of the length, posterior part elongate and much narrowed, the 

 lateral basal impression long and deep ; elytra very ovate, l^roader 

 than the prothorax, and with the basal part sloping laterally, carinate 

 and aculeate at the humeral angle, sutural stria hardly defined 

 except in the posterior part, dorsal punctures quite indistinct, eighth 

 stria deep and well defined ; on each side of the posterior part there is 

 occasionally a reddish round patch. Length 2^ mm. ; width 1 mm. 



Hab. Zambezia (Salisbury). 



Tachys humilis. 

 Light testaceous, shining ; head and posterior part of elytra 

 infuscate; palpi, antennae, and legs fiavescent; head normal ; pro- 

 thorax one-third broader than long, rounded laterally in the anterior 

 part, very slightly narrowed in the posterior, basal angle sharp ; 

 elytra not much broader at the base than the prothorax, and with 

 the shoulders much rounded, oblongo-ovate, a little ampliate 

 past the median part, sutural stria distinct, and beginning at a 

 short distance from the base, no eighth stria, and no trace of dorsal 

 punctures. Length l-i-2-1 mm. ; width 1-li mm. ;,; 

 . Hab. Natal (Frere), Zambezia (Salisbury). 



Tachys nanniscus. 



Piceous red with the prothorax rufescent, and the labrum, palpi, 

 antennae and legs fiavescent ; head and prothorax normal ; elytra 

 with the sutural stria distinct, and beginning at some distance from 

 the base, two dorsal, sufficiently distinct punctures ; eighth stria 

 obliterated, but instead there are two subhumeral moderately deep 

 setigerous punctures. Length 1.55 mm. ; width 0.67 mm. 



Hab. Cape Colony (Cape Town). 



Tachys pusillimus. 



Shape and sculpture of T. nanniscus, but it is more elongate, or 

 rather narrower ; the sutural stria on the elytra is not deep, and the 

 two dorsal setigerous punctures are very nearly indistinct, the eighth 

 stria is also obliterated and replaced by two subhumeral punctures ; 

 the colour is livid brown, but very often light testaceous. Length 

 1.40-1.43 mm. ; width 0.6 mm. 



This species is next to Scotodipnus cajpensis, the smallest South 

 African Carabidous beetle. 



Hab. Cape Colony (Grahamstown), Natal (Escourt, Frere), 

 Zambezia (Salisbury). 



