56 Descriptions of new Ceylon Coleoptera. [no. 3, new series, 



In H. himaculata finally, this joint is rather clubshaped or sub trian- 

 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, however, the anterior margin, 

 which is straight in 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 the 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 costae 

 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 



