OMALIUM. 745 
We have received a large number of examples of this obscure insect: if I am right 
in considering them all to be one species, it is evidently variable in size, colour, and 
minute details of form and sculpture. We have only four Mexican examples: these 
are labelled O. flebile, Fauv., and O. preustwm, Motsch., in Sallé’s collection. It is 
quite uncertain whether Motschulsky really had this species before him when he 
penned his very imperfect description of Phiwonomus preustus, which indeed agrees 
even better with our 0. atomarium. At Carrizal, Mr. Champion procured 0. sordidum 
in numbers from a fungus; and as many of these examples are immature, it is probable 
they may have undergone their metamorphoses in it. 
M. Fauvel (Notices ent. iii. p. 7) in describing O. xanthopterum gives as one of its 
localities “‘ Mexique, en Octobre, A. Sallé.” There does not exist any insect under this 
name in M. Sallé’s collection; and the typical examples of O. xanthopterum from 
Caracas do not sufficiently agree with our O. sordidum to induce me to record our 
species under the name given by Fauvel to the Venezuelan insect, though the two are 
very close. 
2. Omalium anceps. 
Depressum, nigrum, opacum; antennarum basi pedibusque testaceis; prothorace obsolete, elytris crebrius 
fortiusque, punctatis. 
Long. 24 millim. 
Hab. Guatemata, Quiche Mountains 7000 to 9000 feet, Volcan de Agua 8500 to 
10,500 feet (Champion). 
I separate this insect from 0. sordidwm on account of the coarser and closer 
punctuation of the elytra, and the more coarsely alutaceous surface of the thorax; the 
colour also is more obscure than in any of the examples of O. sordidum. The male 
characters are similar, though not quite so conspicuous. We have received fourteen 
examples. 
3. Omalium triste. 
Longius, depressum ; nigrum, tibiis tarsisque testaceis ; crebre minus obsolete punctatum, subnitidum, prothorace 
disco obsoletissime bi-impresso. 
Long. 37 millim. 
Hab. Guatemata, Totonicapam 10,500 feet (Champion). 
Although we have received only a single example of the female sex of this species, 
there can be no doubt it is quite distinct from O. sordidum ; independently of the black 
colour, the punctuation of the elytra is closer and more distinct, and the general form 
more elongate. Although the femora are black, their tips exposed at the sides of the 
body are yellow like the tibie. The unique example was found under the bark of a 
pine-tree. 
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Coleopt., Vol. I. Pt. 2, September 1887. 5 CC 
