No. 9.— 1856-8,] new ceylon coleoptera. 57 



This elegant species is of the same size as the O. cyano- 

 cephala, but, with the exception of the elytra and abdomen, 

 which are shorter and plumper, still more slender and grace- 

 ful. Head large, very narrow and prolonged behind, much 

 more so than in O. cyanocephala, with two large shallow im- 

 pressions between the antennae, and another small one just 

 above them. Occiput slightly transversely rugose. Thorax 

 very slender, half as broad as the head, of hardly the same 

 length, obconic, constricted below the apex, then gradually 

 increasing in size to below the middle, the base abruptly 

 narrowed, cylindric and impressed with three deep annuli- 

 form wrinkles. Elytra about as long as thorax and occiput 

 together, increasing very sensibly in breadth to below 

 the middle. The apex is much more obliquely cut away 

 than in 0. cyanocephala or the preceding species. The shoul- 

 ders are full and hide the margin. Just below them the elytra 

 are deeply excavated ; showing, moreover, three deep longitu- 

 dinal impressions in the bottom of either excavation and a 

 slight yellowish spot, hardly to be distinguished, at the outer 

 part of it. A round spot of silvery appearance adorns the 

 hind part of either elytron. There are two rows of long thin 

 hairs, placed at considerable distances from each other, on the 

 back of either elytron and a third just within the margin ;. 

 the same thin hairs are scattered about the thorax, femora, 

 and elsewhere. The legs are longer and more slender than 

 in 0. cyanocephala. 



The Ophionia cyanocephala is not scarce in this part of 

 the Island. It affects rather damp, grassy localities, where it 

 mounts upon the stalks of the plants, as Heifer has observed 

 of some species in Bengal, but quite different from the ob- 

 servations Lacordaire has made with regard to the American 

 species of the genus. However, it is much more frequently 

 taken about the light at night. The two species just described 

 are much scarcer, Mr. C. A. Dohrn of Stettin writes to me 

 that he has received another species from me (Gypris D.) which, 

 however, I do not recollect. It would appear to be smaller than 

 either of the former, black, with white tips to the antennae. 



