Part 43

HABITAT: Sierra Leone.

Head very small, black, hairy, and long. Antennæ filiform, about half the length of the insect. The fore part of the thorax is hairy and black; the remainder and the scutellum yellow-brown. Basal half of the hemelytra orange-coloured, the remainder dark brown. Wings diaphanous. Abdomen brown-yellow. Rostrum short and black, not reaching to the fore-legs, which are black. Middle and hind legs partly black and brown.

This insect differs so much from the other species of the extensive family Reduviidæ, that I have been compelled to raise it to the rank of a distinct genus, the characters of which are as well marked as those of the majority of the genera recently proposed by the Continental Entomologists in this group. Its characters as a genus are--

Caput parvum. Antennæ breves vix longitudine thoracis, 4?-articulatæ; articulo 2ndo., 1mo. et 3tio. breviori. Pronotum posticè in lobum magnum depressum, supra scutellum et basin alarum productum. Hemelytra marginem lateralem abdominis haud tegentia. Tarsi ut videtur 1-articulati.

PYRRHOCORIS PRINCEPS.

Plate XLIII. fig. 5.

ORDER: Hemiptera. SUBORDER: Heteroptera. SECTION: Geocorisa. FAMILY: Lygæidæ.

GENUS. PYRRHOCORIS, Fallen, Burmeister. Astemma, St. Farg. & Serv. Platynotus, Schill.

PYRRHOCORIS PRINCEPS. Sanguineus; pronoti lobo antico in medio, elytrorum fasciâ versus basin maculâque costali mediâ nigris, membranâ apicali fuscâ, femoribus in medio nigris. (Expans. Alar. 2 unc.)

SYN. Cimex longirostris, Drury, App. vol. 3.

HABITAT: Sierra Leone.

Head yellowish-brown. Thorax in front black, and brown behind. Antennæ black and slender, about half the length of the insect. Scutellum triangular and black. Corium yellow-brown, having a black streak crossing the middle, and a black spot near it; apical membrane opake and dark brown. Wings diaphanous. Rostrum long and slender, reaching to the middle of the abdomen. Legs partly black and brown. Tarsi three-jointed.

{60}The name applied to this species by Drury is so inexpressive that I have been induced to propose for it a new specific designation, which has allusion to its large size and rich colouring.

PLATE XLIV.

CETONIA TORQUATA.

Plate XLIV. fig. 1.

ORDER: Coleoptera. SECTION: Lamellicornes. FAMILY: Cetoniidæ.

GENUS. CETONIA, Fabricius, &c. Scarabæus, Linn. &c.

CETONIA TORQUATA. Obscure viridis, thoracis margine antico luteo, pygidii maculis duabus albis; elytrorum apice suturali spinoso. (Long. Corp. 2 unc. 6 lin.)

SYN. Scar. torquatus, Drury, App. vol. 3. Herbst. Col. III. p. 198. t. 28. f. 1. Schon. Syn. Ins. 3. 117.

HABITAT: Sierra Leone.

Head rather square, depressed above; dusky in front, grey behind. Eyes round and prominent. Antennæ black. The thorax dusky green, margined. Scutellum large, triangular, and green. Elytra dusky green, the sides and suture margined, having two swellings near the extremities, and two short thick spines at the end of the suture. The abdomen covered above with a fine brown pile like velvet. Hind part of the abdomen green, with two silvery white spots of a squarish form. All the under side of the insect green, and of a more lively or shining colour than the upper. Legs strong and thick, the tibiæ furnished with thick spines, both in the middle and at the tips, the hinder ones being hairy.

This splendid and exceedingly rare insect flew on board a ship at Sierra Leone, and was taken on the awning on the following morning. It seems to be unknown to the French Entomologists, and is omitted in the "Monographie des Cétoines" of Messrs. Gory and Perchéron.

PELIDNOTA UNICOLOR.

Plate XLIV. fig. 2.

ORDER: Coleoptera. SECTION: Lamellicornes. FAMILY: Rutelidæ, MacLeay.

GENUS. PELIDNOTA, MacLeay. Scarabæus p., Drury.

PELIDNOTA UNICOLOR. Tota lutea; elytris tenuiter striatis. (Long Corp. 1 unc. 1½ lin.)