1904.] Catalogue of the Goleoptera of South Africa. 3 



such important characters as the shape of the clypeus and the pre- 

 sence or absence of a posterior eye-keel, we find elongated species 

 with a very strongly constricted clypeus and no posterior eye-keel 

 [Arr aphy tar sa, Allokotarsa, &c), and very short and convex species 

 without constricted clypeus and with a posterior eye-keel (Dolero- 

 serica). Some species of this genus have even the silky sheen of 

 Serica, which is replaced by an opaline sheen in Trochalus. 



The number of antennal joints is either 9 or 10 ; that of the club 

 is from 3 to 5 in the male (South African species) and of 3 in the 

 female, except in Microtraehelus , where it is 4 ; this club is as long 

 or longer than the pedicel in the male ; the claws are cleft, the 

 superior tooth being usually longer and more slender than the 

 lower, which is often stouter in the male than in the female, often 

 membranous or lobe-like, and in some genera, such as Euronycha, 

 Allokotarsa, Allogistotarsa, these claws and also the tarsal joints are 

 most abnormal. I have not met with this peculiarity in the short, 

 spherical, or very convex species. 



Some of the genera are very closely allied, others offer good dis- 

 tinctive characters in the male only, in which case the females are 

 very much alike. An examination of the genital armature of the 

 male is as necessary for the division of species as in the Eutelin^i 



Or MELOLONTHINiE. 



The species known to me are generally met with in somewhat 

 sandy spots, either at dusk or if the sky is overcast. Only a few 

 species occur in the south-western part of the Cape Colony ; they 

 seem also to be rare in the eastern provinces of that part of South 

 Africa, becoming more numerous, however, as Natal is reached, and 

 are very abundant in the North-Eastern Transvaal, Ehodesia, and 

 Ovampoland. Many of the species range from Natal to Mossamedes. 



Key to the Genera. 



A 2 . Eyes divided in front by the genal canthus, and having no 

 posterior keel. 



B 2 . Clypeus not constricted laterally, nor tri-dentate in front. 



C 3 . Body elongated or slightly elongato-ovate, moderately 

 convex. 



D 2 . Prosternum with an aculeate process. 



Antennae 10-jointed ; club of male 6-jointed . . Pleophylla. 

 D 1 . Prosternum without an aculeate process. 



E 2 . Head with a frontal suture only. 

 F 2 . Antennae 10-jointed (normally). 



