50 



ON THE CETONIIDiE OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



Note. This well known species is subject to very great variation in the discal spots of the thorax, 

 which are all five placed in a triangle thus /•. ; the two reniform middle ones being the largest and 

 most constant, although even they will sometimes disappear. 



Yar. a. Thorax with only the two reniform middle spots. Cetonia sinuata, G. P. p. 182. 

 Note. I do not here refer to Gory's figure, because it wants these two thoracic yellow spots, although 

 they are expressly mentioned in his description. 



Vab. (5. Thorax without any discal yellow spots. Cetonia sinuata, G. P. tab. 32. fig. 5. 



Var. y. Thorax wanting the vertical yellow point, but having the four lower. 

 Note. In this variety the triangular lower yellow spots of the elytra extend so as almost to meet the 

 corresponding enlargement of the marginal vitta, and thus to form as it were a band. 



Var. Thorax wanting the two lower spots, but having the three vertical ones. 

 Note. I may here observe that the Scarabmus imnctato-marginatus of Degeer, appears, as Schonnherr 

 thought, to be another variety of G. sinuata, Fab. It is in my collection, and may be easily known 

 by having no yellow points either on the thorax or scutellum. I am in possession of a series of specimens, 

 that makes me think the following species communicated by Mr. Hope to MM. Gory and Percheron, 

 may only be another variety ; although it is more in consonance with nature to imagine that all these 

 varieties are formed, like those of certain flowers, by the crossing of two very contiguous species, the 

 two parents of all the intermediate varieties being as it were, C. sinuata, as I have described it, and the 

 G.flamvmtris of MM. Gory and Percheron. 



Sp. 50. (Cetoninus) Cetonia flaviventris, Hope. 



Cetonia flaviventris, G. P. p. 178. tab. 31. fig. 6. 



Sp. 51. (Cetoninus) Cetonia leonina, n. s. 



Descr. Cetonia supra atro-viridis, tliorace elytrisque flavo-marginatis, elytrorum limbo medio 

 dilatato bifurcate maculisque discalibus obliquis subinterruptis flavis, corpore subtus 

 ferrugineo, ano albomaculato. 



Long. 9^ lines. 



Note. This species comes the nearest to Cetonia impressa of Goldfuss and Gory, but differs much in 

 the marking of the elytra. Being in possession of that species also, I have had no difficulty in deter- 

 mining the distinction that exists between the two. 



Sp. 52. (Cetoninus) Cetonia carmelita, Fah. 



Cetonia carmelita, G. P. p. 238. tab. 45. fig. 2. 

 Note. This is the C. hadia of Burchell ; and most likely Schonnherr is right in considering it to be 

 the Scarahceus rufus of Degeer. It is easily known from other three species that come very close to it, 

 by the two large white anal spots. 



Sp. 53. (Cetoninus) Cetonia bachypinica, Burchell. 



Cetonia bachypinica, G. P. p. 237. tab. 45. fig. 1. 

 Note. The testaceous or yellow colour of this species, passes off in some varieties to green. And I 

 wish to remark here, in general, that the black colour of some African species, such as G. marginata, 

 Fab. for instance, becomes brick red, as in G. carmelita, Fab. and passes off to ochry yellow, as in 

 G. bachypinica, which again passes into green, as in C. aulica, Fab., and so to the viridiseneous colour, 

 such as C.fastuosa, Fab. which returns to black, as in C. morio. Fab. 



93. We shall now proceed to the last sub-section we have to allude to among the Cetonics 

 typicce, that is, to those species which are generally of a green colour, and are marked with 

 white or yellow lines. Dr. Smith has brought the following : — 



