73 



my doubt of the identity of chrysopygius, Germ., with the 

 type N eospades, as the acceptance of that identity would in- 

 volve a greater instability of markings than I have found in 

 other species of the genus. I feel, however, no doubt about 

 chrysopygius being a Neospades. In the type of the genus — 

 which I may call chrysopygius, Blackb. ( ? Germ.) — the 4th 

 antennal joint is decidedly triangular, intermediate in form 

 between the 3rd and 5th (which I intended to express by 

 calling it "not distinctly" of the serrate series) ; but with 

 very much more numerous species of Cisseis before me than 

 I had in 1887, I am satisfied that a satisfactory generic dis- 

 tinction cannot be founded on that antennal character since 

 the 4th antennal joint is certainly in some species of Cisseis 

 not more serrate than in some of Neospades. Nevertheless 

 the tendency in Neospades is distinctly to a less dilated 4th 

 antennal joint [in one species N. (Buprestis) cruciatus, Fab., 

 that joint is quite simple] than in Cisseis. 



It is, however, in respect of the characters mentioned 

 first in the diagnosis (those of the tarsi and especially the 

 claws) as distinctive from Cisseis that the essential difference 

 is to be found. Under Cisseis there now stand species differ- 

 ing from each other so much in their tarsal and claw charac- 

 ters that I have no doubt other genera still remain to be cut 

 out of that aggregate ; but at any rate there is a wide differ- 

 ence between Neospades and Cisseis in respect of tarsi and 

 claws. Apparently C. duodecimmaculata, Fab., is the type 

 of Cisseis. Compared with Neospades its tarsi are seen to be 

 moderately elongate and but little compressed, with the basal 

 two joints together much longer than the claw joint, and the 

 claws are of the type which Lacordaire in dealing with the 

 Lamiides calls "divaricate," and are shortly bifid at the 

 apex ; while in Neospades the tarsi are very short and very 

 strongly compressed, with the claw joint not much shorter 

 than the basal two joints together and the claws very strongly 

 of the type which Lacordaire calls "divergent" (the two 

 almost parallel with each other) and so deeply bifid that from 

 a certain point of view the joint appears somewhat as if there 

 were four almost equal and almost parallel claws. In facies, 

 too, Neospades differs notably from Cisseis, especially in 

 respect of colouring, all the species with tarsi as described 

 above having elytra with at least two bright and well limited 

 metallic colours, which is at most very feebly approximated 

 in any Cisseis known to me. 



Neospades, then, is thus differentiated from Cisseis: — 

 "Tarsi very short and very strongly compressed; claws of the 

 divergent type, almost parallel with each other and very 

 deeply bifid." 



