PIESTUS. 713 
We have received a fair series of this species as well as of P. minutus, and though 
the two are extremely close in their characters, they appear to be constantly and really 
distinct *, 
2. Piestus minutus. 
Piestus minutus, Kr. Gen. et Spec. Staph. p. 884'; Fauv. Bull. Soc. Linn. Normand. ix. p. 31’; 
Notices ent. ii. p. 27. 
Hab. Mexico, Teapa?; British Honpuras, R. Sarstoon, Belize (Blancaneaua) ; 
‘Guatemaa (Sallé?), Cahabon, San Juan in Vera Paz, Zapote (Champion); Nicaraeua 
(Sallé and coll. Sharp), Granada (Pilate); Panama, Bugaba (Champion).—SovTu 
America, Colombia !? (coll. Sharp), Amazons. 
Erichson’s description! was no doubt taken from an immature example, as in all 
the specimens before me (except the var. from Para and Ega recorded by me, Trans. 
Ent. Soc. Lond. 1876, p. 407), including those from Colombia, the head and thorax 
are black, and the elytra red as described by Fauvel ?. 
3. Piestus extimus. 
Depressus, nitidus, niger; antennis piceis, elytris pedibusque rufis; prothorace fortiter transverso, medio late 
punctato-sulcato, basi fortiter constricto; elytris quinque-striatis. 
Long. 5 millim. 
Hab. Mexico, Pinos Altos in Chihuahua (Buchan-Hepburn). 
This species is distinguished from P. minutus and P. pygmeus by the existence of a 
punctate groove along the middle of the thorax, in place of a fine impunctate channel ; 
in other respects it partakes of the characters of the two species: the thorax is broad, 
and much narrowed at the base as in P. minutus, but the head has not the transverse 
carina on the vertex, which is a constant character of P. minutus; the clypeal suture 
extends, however, nearer to the neck than it does in P. pygmeus, and the space between 
the extremity of the suture and the neck is more convex than in the last-named species ; 
the thorax is almost impunctate, except in the median groove. 
We have received only one example; this is no doubt a male, as it has antenne 
similar to those of the same sex of P. minutus. Judging from the description of 
P. buqueti, Fauv., from Cayenne, our insect would appear to be nearest allied to that 
species, which, however, has a narrow and punctate thorax. 
4, Piestus pygmeus. 
Piestus pygmeus, Lap. Etud. ent. i. p. 180°; Er. Gen. et Spec. Staph. p. 835°; Fauv. Bull. Soe. 
Linn. Normand. ix. p. 33°; Notices ent. ii. p. 29. 
* The Cuban P. erythropus, Er., is recorded by Fauvel (Bull. Soc. Linn, Normand. ix. p. 29; Notices ent. ii; 
p. 25) as a Mexican insect; but as Opelousas, where the example is said to have been obtained, is in Louisiana, I 
-do not give the species a place in our list, though it is far more likely to occur in Mexico than in the United States. 
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Coleopt., Vol. I. Pt. 2, Hebruary 1887. 4 VV 
