1898.] of the Coleoptera of South Africa. 361 



dish ; head smooth, the anterior impressions deep, arcuate ; pro- 

 thorax long, gradually rounded and slightly ampliate laterally from 

 the apical angle to three-fourths of the length, and diagonal from 

 the second lateral seta to the posterior angle, which is sharp, base 

 sinuate, a little wider than the apex, disk smooth, base not punc- 

 tured, outer margins carinate ; elytra oblongo-ovate, finely striate, 

 the striae smooth ; under side black, legs piceous and with a slightly 

 aeneous tinge. Length 7 mm. ; width 2|- mm. 



In colouring this species has some resemblance to A. agilis, CataL, 

 p. 553, but it is at once distinguishable by the shape of the pro- 

 thorax which is regularly ampliate laterally from the anterior angle 

 to a short distance from the base, and is also longer. 



Hah. Zambesia (Salisbury). 



Abacetus pilosellus. 



Eeddish brown, with the antennae, palpi, and legs paler ; head 

 aciculate laterally and along the eyes, smooth in the middle, frontal 

 sulci diagonal; prothorax rounded laterally, a little less ampliate from 

 the median part to the basal than from the apex to the middle, but 

 not sinuate near the base, very distinctly grooved in the middle, 

 closely punctulate along the base and also in the basal depressions, 

 and fringed along the carinate margins with long brown setae spring- 

 ing from a series of punctures along the margin ; elytra oblong, 

 striate, with the intervals convex, and those near the suture nearly 

 carinate ; the striae are distinctly punctulate, and the outer margin 

 has a fringe of setae similar to those on the prothorax, but shorter. 

 Length 4 mm. ; width If mm. 



Hob. Natal (Lower M'Komas Kiver). 



Abacetus cursor. 



Very closely allied to A. nanniscus, Catal., p. 551; the facies is 

 the same but it is a little larger, the antennae are thicker and black, 

 with the two basal joints and a part of the third reddish ; the pro- 

 thorax is of the same shape and equally shining; the elytra are 

 oblong, and have a bronze sheen, less greenish than in nanniscus, 

 the femora are piceous, with the tibiae and tarsi pale red instead 

 of the whole legs being red, not piceous-red, as I have stated. 

 Length 5^- mm. ; width 2 mm. 



It is only by comparison with A. nanniscus that the specific cha- 

 racters of this species become marked. 



Hob. Natal (Drakensberg Eange). 



