12 
ON THE CETONIIDiE OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
7. I term these genera, because they are the first class of groupes into which the 
Cetoniida resolve themselves. They form a series returning into itself. Some persons may call 
them sub-families, or give them any other name. This is quite a matter of taste ; but I choose 
to call them genera, in order that I may more easily hereafter shew the relation borne to 
each of them by the groupes of modern entomologists. Of these genera then, Trickinus 
appears to have been discovered by Fabricius, and to answer tolei’ably well to his genus 
Tricldus. I have therefore assigned the groupe Trichinus to him, because Trichius denotes, 
with modern authors, a groupe of more limited extent. Cryptodinus and Macrominus are 
groupes now, I believe, for the first time, clearly pointed out, although the former nearly 
corresponds with what Gory calls his genus Cremastocheilus. I have assigned the groupe 
Gymnetinus to Kirby, because it answers very nearly in extent to the sub-family called by him 
Gymnetidee, and by Gory Gymnetides. Cetoninus is a groupe which I am not aware has ever 
until now been properly distinguished. 
8. I am acquainted with larva: of the genera Trichinus, Gymnetinus, and Cetoninus ; but I 
believe no larva of Cryptodinus or Macrominus is as yet known. It is probable, however, 
that the larva: of these last, when discovered, will be found to have the mandibles formed like 
those of the larvae of Osmoderma eremita, that is, unidentate at the extremity ; for they are 
insects which have great affinity to each other in the manners of their perfect state. 
9. I have attempted in the above table to distinguish the normal groupe by its larva ; but it 
may also be not badly distinguished by the imago, which has the terminal process of the 
maxilla almost always without teeth, and, at the same time, the epimeron almost always appa- 
rent between the angles of the thorax and elytra. By the first of these characters the normal 
groupe may be separated very nearly from the genus Macrominus, and by the latter very 
nearly from the genus Trichinus. There are exceptions to the rule, such as Philistina and a 
section of Goliathus, which have maxillae with corneous teeth, and Inca, which has the 
epimeron not apparent between the thorax and elytra; but these are osculant groupes, the 
former leading to Macrominus, and the latter to Trichinus. 
10. Of the five British species that belong to the family of Cetoniida, three are to be 
assigned to the genus Trichinus, and two to Cetoninus. But no one who confines his atten- 
tion to the above five species can form any notion of the beauty and variety of form that 
prevails throughout the family. 
11. I do not venture to alter the terminations of the sub-genera, in order that they may 
agree with that of the genus to which they belong ; nor can I make the terminations of the 
genus apply to that of all the sub-genera which it contains. The consequence of this is, that 
we have often strange concords, such as Trichinus Platyyenia Zairica; but in such cases I 
have always made the trivial name agree with the sub-genus rather than with the genus. To 
this last I have given the termination, which corresponds with that of the majority of the 
sub-genera. 
Genus I. TRICHINUS, Fab. 
12. This genus is easily known from Cryptodinus, M'L. by its flat mentum and maxillae 
provided with a brush of hairs ; while from the genus Cetoninus, it is separated by its never 
having the epimeron prominent between the thorax and elytra, as well as by the anterior femora 
having no spines at their junction with the tibiae. I do not place so much confidence in 
Latreille’s character drawn from the mode in which the labial palpi are inserted. 
