14 Descriptive Catalogue [1897. 



laterally, tuberculate in the anterior part, excavate behind ; elytra 

 elongate-quadrate, with the shoulders not rounded, truncate behind ; 

 pygidium perpendicular, triangular, deeply excavate on the dorsal 

 part, and with the declivity convex, the upper margin incised 

 in the middle, with the incision filled with a yellow pubescence ; 

 femora and tibiae compressed, dilated ; tarsi neither dilated nor 

 papillose. 



Two species of this genus have been lately described, from the 

 East Coast of Africa (Dar-es-Salaam and Somaliland), which, 

 judging from the description, are very closely allied to the two South 

 African species. I have also seen a very large example from the 

 Zanzibar mainland, in the collection of Mr. K. Oberthur. 



Synopsis of Species. 



Elytra totally chestnut brown . . . . . . . . . . paussoides. 



Elytra with a broad median transverse infuscate band, and a 

 narrower supra-apical one . . . . . . . . . . . . natalensis. 



Pentaplatabthrus paussoides, Westw., 

 Trans. Linn. Soc, xvi., 1833, p. 619, pi. xxxiii., figs. 1-14; Arcana 

 Entom., ii., p. 38, pi. lviii., fig. 2. 



Chestnut brown, shining ; antennae squamose ; head deeply punc- 

 tured, with the punctures squamose, elongato-quadrate and with a 

 broad, deep impression on the vertex, neck not narrower than the 

 head, and more closely punctured ; prothorax subcordate, with the 

 anterior part ridged, the ridge high, broadly incised in the centre, 

 with the lobes divaricating, and also on each side where the incised 

 part is developed in a lateral blunt spine ; the anterior part of the 

 ridge has two deep impressions ; the median part has a deep 

 excavation edged on each side by a narrow, rounded ridge, and pro- 

 duced up to the base in a deep, broad groove ; it is nearly glabrous ; 

 elytra elongato-quadrate, slightly rounded at the humeral angle, 

 truncate behind, roughly and irregularly punctured, and very briefly 

 pubescent ; in the outer and posterior margins there is a series of 

 short setae, and two at the tip of the posterior declivity ; legs briefly 

 setulose. Length 6-7-i- mm. ; width 2-|— 3|- mm. 



Hob. Cape Colony (Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Carnarvon, Beau- 

 fort West). 



Pentaplatarthrus natalensis, Westw., 

 Proc. Linn. Soc, ii., 1849, p. 57. 



In shape and sculpture P. natalensis can hardly be distinguished 

 from P. p>aussoides, but it is always larger, and the elytra, instead of 



