1897.] of the Coleoptera of South Africa. 53 



subtriangular, transverse sulcus narrow, and base itself impressed 

 transversely ; elytra a little broader and longer than the prothorax, 

 attenuate at base, sides very little rounded, deeply bifoveate at base, 

 dorsal stria not reaching the median part ; abdomen almost equal in 

 length to the elytra and attenuate behind ; metasternum convex ; 

 legs sufficiently long, femora little thickened ; tibiae not quite 

 straight, slightly thickened at apex. Male unknown. Length 

 l'lO mm. 



Hob. Cape Colony (Muizenberg). 



Gen. EUPLECTUS, Leach, 

 Zool. MiscelL, iii., 1817, p. 80. 



Elongate, sublinear ; head large ; maxillary palpi moderately 

 long, first joint not conspicuous, second slightly clavate at tip, 

 third minute, fourth ovate, acuminate; club of antennas triarticulate ; 

 prothorax cordate and having three foveae joined by a transverse 

 sulcus, discoidal fovea unconnected with the others ; elytra mode- 

 rately elongate, bifoveate at base, dorsal stria conspicuous, short ; 

 abdomen elongate, first three dorsal segments of same size as the 

 first, fourth much larger, male with seven segments on the under 

 side, female with six ; first ventral segment depressed at apex 

 between the coxae, second to fourth subequal, fifth smaller, sixth 

 much larger than the preceding one, arcuate and hardly ampliate 

 laterally, seventh large, rhomboid, and more or less sulcate or sub- 

 carinate longitudinally ; posterior and intermediate coxae approxi- 

 mate ; tarsi moderately slender, first joint minute, second elongate, 

 slightly arcuate and hardly thickened, third cylindrical ; a single 

 claw. 



The distinguishing characters of this genus are : fourth dorsal 

 segments very wide, basal one in the abdominal part flattened in the 

 apical part, sixth larger than the second, arcuately concave and not 

 ampliate laterally, seventh one without operculum in the male. 



The genus is largely represented in Europe and North America, 

 and has few representatives in Africa. These insects live, as a rule, 

 in marshy places. 



EUPLECTUS DISCOIDALIS. 



Elongate, moderately convex, rufous, with the antennae and legs 

 paler, briefly and sparsely pubescent ; head large, attenuate for a 

 short space, frontal sulcus transverse, strong, entire ; eyes large, 

 two large foveae and two straight sulci ; vertex briefly sulcate next 

 to the neck ; antennae short, slightly thickened, the two basal joints 

 quadrate, third to eighth inclusive moniliform, ninth slightly, tenth 



