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DESCEIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF THE COLEOPTEEA OF 
SOUTH AFEICA. 
By L. Peringuey, D.Sc, F.E.S., F.Z.S., 
Director South African Museum. 
Plates XXII.-XXIV. 
Family MELOID^. 
Mentum supported by a pedunculate gular process ; ligula always 
projecting, more or less deeply sinuate, or sometimes incised ; maxillae 
with two corneous ciliate or penicillate lobes greatly variable in shape ; 
palps seldom very long, the labial three-jointed, but with a distinct 
palpiger, the maxillary four- jointed ; head much inclined, sometimes bent 
under, ending in a distinct neck not entirely received in the prothorax, 
the frontal part, as far as the antennae which are inserted close to the 
eyes, is quadrate or transverse with the epistome and the labrum narrowed 
but parallel or nearly so laterally, or the whole head is triangular and even 
cuneiform ; the suture of the epistome is at times wanting, eyes variable 
in size, strongly granulated, sub-reniform or hardly emarginate in front, 
but occasionally greatly developed underneath, and even sub-contiguous 
there [Zonitoschema). Number of antennal joints eleven, but occasionally 
reduced to seven in the Mylabrini, and inserted in front of the eyes in all 
the South African species ; prothorax narrower than the elytra ; pro- 
sternum without lateral suture, coxae very large, the anterior contiguous 
with the cotyloid cavities very widely open behind, confluent, the inter- 
mediate contiguous behind, the posterior transverse ; mesosternum short, 
triangular ; metasternum very short in the Meloince, long in the Ca7i- 
tharmcB ; elytra without epipleurae ; abdomen six-jointed ; legs long, 
tibial spurs always distinct, those of the hind tibiae variable in shape, 
the outer one often thickened and hollowed outwardly ; anterior and 
middle tarsi five-jointed, posterior four-jointed ; claws usually divided into 
two parts, the lower much more slender than the upper, and occasionally 
filiform, the upper pectinate or simple. 
This Family belongs to the group of Heteeomera characterised by the 
presence of five joints in the anterior and middle tarsi, and four in the 
hind tarsi. The head ends in a distinct neck as in the Families Anthicidce, 
