JAN. — MAR. 1857.] Descriptions of new Ceylon Coleoptera. 183 
maxill. art. ultimo apice angustato levissime truncate. Mandi- 
bulse unidentatas. 'I horax amplus angulis acutis, antice emargi- 
natus, postice pluries sinuatus, subtus puiictatus. Elytra ovato- 
quadrata, angulis 4 apicalibus rotundatis, pygidium baud obtegen- 
tia. Pedes validae. femoribus tibiisque incrassatis ; anteriores tibiis 
apice intus unispinosis, tarsis art. 1-3 fortiter dilatatis, 1-2 subae- 
qualibus transversis, profunde reniformibus, 3' minore, cordato, 
4° minirao, subcylindrico ; intermed. et post, tibiis extus spinulo- 
sis, tarsis anterioribus similibus sed'art. 1-3 minus dilatatis, cordi- 
formibus. Prosternum marginatum, punctatum, obtuse acumina- 
tum. Mesosternum antice carinatum. 
Yariat magnitudine et'colore eeneo-brunnea. 
Prope Colombo in floribus per occasionem frequentissime legi. 
Of the usual shape and color, but larger than usual, varying, 
however, in this respect — some individuals being fully one-third 
smaller than others. These small individuals, which occur in the 
proportion of about 1 to 20, are moreover nearly always of abrown- 
'ish metallic color instead of a blackish green. I have been unable 
to discover any other distinctions. I was much interested by the 
discovery of these insects, having missed them for years amongst 
the abundantly represented ISiiidulidce of the Island. They appear 
of local occurrence or attached to certain plants, which is nearly 
the same. I find them in abundance in the beautiful bell shaped 
blossoms of the Argyreia argentea and one or two other plants in 
my garden. The species appears to differ from the typical Meli- 
gethes in the following points : the structure of the mentum, which 
I have sufficiently described above, the last joint of the lab. palpi 
which in this case is not truncated, and the first of the antennae 
which is externally incrassated as in Epiircea. The antennae are 
otherwise robust, the club is firm and hairy. The thorax is very 
ample, thinly ciliated along the upper part of the anterior margin, 
rather strongly below. The prosternum is largely developed, mar- 
ginated, punctured and obtusely acuminated, overlapping the an- 
terior part of the mesosternum which (the anterior part) is cylin- 
dric and carinated. Joints 1-3 of the tarsi are strongly penicillated 
below, the penicilla being composed of glanduliferous hairs of a 
fine golden color. 
