STRATEQUS.— PODISCHNUS. 331 



I cannot corroborate Burmeister's statement that the base of the anterior thoracic 

 horn is always continued behind as an obtuse ridge along the middle of the thoracic 

 cavity, dividing the latter into two deep pits ; or that this is an important difference 

 between S.julianus and S. aloeus. On the contrary, I have seen examples of S.julianus 

 in both the larger and the minor developments of the male in which the ridge, except 

 just at the commencement, is scarcely perceptible. 



We figure a fully-developed male example from Mexico city, and a male minor from 

 N. Yucatan. • 



Subfam. LYNASTINjE. 



PODISCHNUS. 



Podischnus, Burmeister, Handb. der Ent. v. p. 237 (1847) ; Lacordaire, Gen. Col. iii. p. 438. 

 Mixigenus, Thomson, Arcana Naturse, p. 7 (1859) . 



Two species only are known of this genus, restricted to Central America and the 

 northern part of South America. 



Burmeister describes the singular comb-like dentition of the rounded maxillary lobe 

 quite correctly ; but at the apex of the mentum, which he says is broad, he has over- 

 looked the curious deflection of the true apical part of the ligula, which is triangular, 

 and bends downwards at right angles. 



1. Podischnus agenor. (Tab. XIX. figg. 16, 16a, 17, 17a, 18, 18«, e; 19, $ .) 



Scarabaus Agenor, Oliv. Ent. i. 3, p. 178, t. 27. fig. 241. 



Podischnus agenor, Burm. Handb. der Ent. v. p. 238 1 . 



Scarabceus barbicornis, Latreille, in Humb. & Bonpl. Obs. Zool. i. p. 201, t. 22. fig. 1 2 . 



Sab. Mexico 2 ; British Honduras (Blancaneaux) ; Guatemala, "EscmntlsL (Champion); 

 Nicaragua, Chontales (Belt) ; Panama, Lion Hill (McLeannan). — South America, 

 Colombia \ Upper Amazons. 



The male exhibits numerous gradations of form, affecting the shape of both the 

 cephalic horn and the curious thoracic elevation — half-moon shaped at the summit, 

 and clothed with tawny hairs beneath— and also the sculpture of the anterior part of 

 the thorax. The principal gradations are as follows : — 



1. Cephalic horn greatly elongated, and armed behind with a broad tooth. 



2. The horn shorter, and the posterior dentiform thickening scarcely perceptible. 



3. The horn only half as long again as the head, simple, acute ; thoracic horn only 

 slightly elevated, but broad, emarginated, and hairy beneath (8. barbicornis, Latr.). 



4. The horn much shorter than the head ; the thoracic elevation forming only a 

 slight prominence, with a hairy fovea in front of it. 



2 UU 2 



