Page:Madras journal of literature and science vol 2 new series 1857.djvu/72

62 subtus tarsis 2 ant. art. 1-4, intermed art. 2°-4° squamularum longepedunculatarum seriebus duabus munitis.

53. ''Compsolepis foliolosa. N.''

L. glabra, supra obscure brunnea, thoracis elytrorumque limbo testaceo, subtus brunneo-testacea; pedibus albidis; antennis art. 3 primis flavis, reliquis nigrescentibus; palpis art. ultimo testaceo, reliquis flavis; thorace ad angulos basales profundius foveolato; elytris striatis; prosterno canaliculato; long. corp. 3-4 lin.

Specimina nonnulla mens. Octob. prope Colombo nocte ad lumen cepi.

The internal vesture of the tarsi of these otherwise inconspicuous insects, constitutes their most important character and is altogether of a very interesting nature. I proceed at once to describe it at full length, premising that I believe I have both the male and female before me. The individual which I take to be the male is smaller and of a darker color than the other. The legs, with the exception of the tarsi, are the same in both sexes. They are of middling strength, the tibiæ are furnished with 2 spurs at the inner side of the apex, which spurs are finely serrated along their inner edge, the tarsi have joints 1-3 of the first pair slightly dilated, the posterior pair is elongated, subcylindric and the intermediate one forms a passage between the two. Joints 1-3 of the first pair decrease gradually in size, joint 1 being at the same time subcylindric, joint 2 rather cordiform and joint 3 rather triangular, joint 4 in all the six tarsi is bilobed in the male and bifid in the female, this character being, however, less distinctly expressed in the 2 post. tarsi than in the 4 ant. ones; joint 5 is large and the claws strong and simple, a membranaceous process of triangular form covers the base of the latter above.

The internal vesture of the 4 ant. tarsi of the male is of the following description. The inner part of joints 1-4 of the 2 ant. ones is furnished with 2 longitudinal series of peduncled squamulæ which are of a broad, triangular form and lie like tiles upon each other covering the sole of the tarsus, they are flanked by bristles which partake of the nature of the scales being dilated in the shape of a lancet. These squamulæ are without any particular color, they