56 Descriptions of neio Ceylon Coleoptera, [no. 3, new series, 
In H. himaculata finally, this joint is rather clubsliaped or subtrian- 
gular and stronger truncated than in the former two species. 4, 
the ligula : this organ is of subcoriaceous texture, middling size, 
the shape of an oblong square, free and transversely truncated at 
the apex — these characters are common to all three spec, and in H. 
ruficollis I have nothing to add to it, howe^/er, the anterior margin, 
which is straight ii^ this species, is slightly bisinuated in H. elegans 
the outer angles being acute and the central one obtuse. The ligu- 
la of H. himaculata differs from both the former in as far as it is nar- 
rowed towards the apex and depressed towards tl^e sides and the 
front, the anterior margin is otherwise cut away straight, without 
any sinuosities, but it is rather strongly armed with bristles. The 
paraglossse agree in all three spec, in as far as they are highly de- 
veloped, reach much beyond the anterior margin of the ligula and 
are more or less bent inwards. They assume their greatest deve- 
lopment in H. elegans in which they nearly touch each other in front 
of the anterior margin, being cylindric and slender at the same time. 
In H. ruficollis the paraglossse are somewhat shorter and straighter 
and in H. himaculata still more so. 
On all other points the three spec, perfectly agree; in saying which 
I lay particular weight upon the unusual sculpture of the elytra and 
the rather peculiar hairy vesture of the insects, bearing also in mind 
their general appearance, proportions, system of coloration, mode of 
living, etc. As to the hairy vesture of certain parts of the body and 
the sculpture of the elytra, it is true that these are not generally 
looked upon as of much importance, however, they appear to me to 
be so in this instance, as they present certain unusual variations re- 
peated in all three species. The hairy vesture consists in thin yel- 
lowish or reddish hairs thinly sprinkled over the back and still more 
thinly over the whole of the lower surface of the insects, being at 
the same time longer at the latter place. This vesture acquires its 
greatest density on the legs, especially the tibiae and tarsi, whilst 
their uniform presence at the palpi forms almost a generic charac- 
ter. The elytra are exquisitely sculptured into about 8 larger costse 
on either of them and into 2 smaller ones between every 2 of these, 
the furrows thus formed are finely and transversely rugose and (with 
