138 
ON THE GOLIATHIDEOUSJ CETONIIDJE 
Species XIII.— Heterorhina elegans (PI. 35, fig. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, with the details). 
Cetonia elegans , Fabricius, Olivier (nec Gory and Percheron, pi. 20, fig. 2, from Oware, 
= C. stigma Pal. B.) 
Cetonia cuprea, Ilerbst, col. iii., tab. 29, fig. 5. 
Gnathocera micans , Guerin. Rev. Zool., 1840, p. 80 (variety). 
Coryphe cyanoptera , Hope MSS. (variety). 
This is a very variable and brilliant insect, the variations consisting not only in difference of 
size, colours, and markings, but also in punctation, and even in form and structure, no two 
specimens being exactly alike; some being very much smaller and narrower than others of the 
same size; thus some males are very narrow', and others short and broad. The front of the 
head is more or less produced in the middle of the clypeus, the produced part being reflexed 
and generally slightly bifid ; the crown of the head is carinated, the cariua terminating in 
both sexes in a transverse tubercle ; this, however, is sometimes almost, and even entirely, 
obsolete. The maxill® have the inner lobe more or less acutely toothed, and the upper lobe, 
as in the last species, obliquely truncate at the tip ; the mentum is deeply emarginate in front; 
the mesosternal process is moderately elongated and obtuse (fig. 4a, 4b) ; the abdomen of the 
male is deeply channeled down the middle beneath ; the anterior tibke of the males are 
slightly sub-bidentate, the apex being very acute, and the females broad and acutely bidentate. 
The four hind tibia*, differ in the size of the central spurs, which are sometimes obsolete; the 
hind pair also differs in the size and colour of the brush of hairs at its extremity on the inside. 
The pseud on ycliisc are very minute. Individuals differ also very much in the punctation of the 
elytra, the punctures being sometimes nearly as strong as in the males of H. beta, and some¬ 
times almost obsolete. Almost every shade of green is exhibited by different specimens, and 
others are of a rich golden, and some of an intense purple-blue. The colour of the exposed 
part of the posterior cox® varies from black and green to fulvous red ; the tibi® also vary from 
cyaneous to green and castaneous. The black spots at the shoulders and tips of the elytra are 
also variable. 
My figure 2 represents the Gnathocera micans of Guerin, which I cannot but consider as a 
male variety of this species, differing in having the front projection of the clypeus entire at the 
tip (fig. 2a) ; the tubercle at the extremity of the carina is dilated at the tip ; body rather 
narrow 7 ; the elytra without any humeral or apical black patches ; the exposed part of the 
metacox® concolorous ; the fascicle of hairs on the hind tibice dark brown ; and the punctures 
of the elytra distinct. Fig. 2b represents the maxilla, and 2c the fore tibi® of this individual. 
I am indebted to M. Guerin Mcneville for sending me his typical specimen of this insect from 
Paris. It is from the Neilgherries. 
My figure 3 represents the smallest and narrowest male which I have seen, contained in the 
collection of F. Parry, Esq. The front of the clypeus has the projection so slightly bifid as 
to appear at first sight entire. The carina is very slight, and terminates in an impression 
without any raised tubercle (fig. 3a) ; the elytra are very strongly punctured, and without any 
black humeral or apical spots; the exposed part of the metacox® red. The femora have a 
fulvous tint, and the tibi® are castaneous, with a green tinge ; the hairs on the hind tibi® are 
fulvous, the hind feet having the brush scarcely distinct. 
My figure 4 represents another variety of the male, of very broad form, having the upper 
surface of an intense cyaneous purple, and the exposed part of the metacox® red; the legs are 
black, and the hairs on the hind tibi® dark brown. Fig. 4 a and 4b represent the mesosternal 
process, and 4c the front of the head of this specimen, which is in the collection of the Rev. 
F. M r . Hope. 
My fig. 5 represents the front of the head of another specimen, in the collection of F. Parry, 
Esq., of a similar broad form to figure 4, but without any horn at the extremity of the carina, 
which is terminated by a transverse depression. This specimen is a male, of a rich green 
colour, with small humeral and apical black spots, and the metacox® concolorous. Figure 6 a 
represents the front of the head of an ordinary female, G b the maxilla of the same, and 6 d the 
anterior tibi®, 
A small female of this species, collected by Colonel Hearsey in Central India, of a rich 
golden colour tinged 'with green, with the exposed part of the metacox® black, has the disc of 
the elytra much more arched than ordinary, with a slightly elevated ridge extending from the 
inside of the apical black patch half up the elytra, parallel with the suture. 
The original specimens, described by Fabricius, are preserved in the Banksian Collection at 
the Linn®an Society ; one is green, the other golden green, both having the exposed part of 
the metacox® red, without any humeral black spot, and the apical ones dark green instead of 
black ; both are males, with brown tufts of hair at the extremity of the posterior tibi®. 
As Mr. Mac Leay describes the clypeus of Cetonia elegans. Fab., as having no horn in the 
male, it is probable that he mistook the species. 
