130 MALAY TICxER BEETLES. 



wings, slender long-legged beetles, blue or violet, which are 

 often to be seen flying and scampering over leaves on bushes 

 in the bright sunny spots of the jungle. The commonest species 

 is C. dolens, Chand., which I have collected in Singapore, 

 Selangor, Penang and elsewhere. C. filiformis, Chand., is a more 

 slender species, bright violet blue with red legs. C. apicalis, 

 Chand., is rather larger, very dark in colour, almost black, with 

 red legs and a reddish patch at the apex of the elytra. It is 

 common in the Botanic Gardens. 



Therates humeralis has broader elytra and more resembles 

 a road tiger-beetle. It is blue with tawny shoulders and red 

 legs. I have collected it in Singapore. 



Of the road tiger-beetles with broad elytra, which dart 

 about on sandy roads, taking short flights, then running a little 

 on their long legs and off again, we have two genera, Cicindela 

 and Heptadonta. The first genus seems to be very widely 

 distributed, abundant in Europe and North America as well as 

 in the tropics. The larva? of the temperate climate species are 

 soft bodied with large heads and powerful jaws. They live in 

 holes in the ground from the entrance of which they look out 

 for passing insects on which to prey. The larvae of our species 

 doubtless resemble those of colder climates, but they have not 

 yet been investigated. 



The commonest species is Cicindela aurulenta, Fabr., which 

 is very abundant on sandy roads in Singapore, Perak, Penang, 

 Province Wellesley and elsewhere. It is abundant on the west 

 Hill in Penang at an altitude of 3000 feet. The upper surface 

 is of a dark blue green with six golden spots on the elytra. The 

 abdomen beneath is coppery red. It has very powerful black 

 curved jaws, but cannot bite though the skin. Altogether it is 

 a very beautiful beetle. 



C. fuliginosa, Dej., is smaller and rather less common, 

 though by no means rare. The elytra have a dark brown key 

 pattern on a cream ground. I have met with it in Singapore, 

 Penang, Province Wellesley and Perak, and it will probably be 

 found all over the peninsula as well. 



Heptadonta analis, Fabr., has the same form and habits as 

 the two Cicindelas, but is a plain dark blue-green beetle without 

 any spots. It is widely distributed, occurring in Penang, 



Jour. Straits Branch. 



