SOIETES. 617 



19. Scirtes puncticollis. 



Elliptic, short, moderately convex, shining, testaceous, thickly and finely pubescent. Head, prothorax, and 

 scutellum densely, minutely punctate ; antennae long and exceedingly slender, joints 2 and 3 subequal, 

 4-11 elongate, gradually decreasing in length ; prothorax very short and convex, narrowing from the base, 

 acutely margined at the sides ; elytra closely, minutely punctate, the punctuation a little sparser and more 

 distinct than that of the prothorax, narrowly margined at the sides. 



Length 2-2|, breadth l^-lf millim. 



Hab. Guatemala, El Tumbador {Champion); Panama, Bugaba, Volcan de Chiriqui 

 {Champion). 



One specimen from each locality. The description is taken from the Bugaba 

 example, the others being in a bad state of preservation. This very small species 

 resembles S. salicis ; but it is more oval in shape, the antennae are longer and much 

 more slender, and the thorax is more distinctly punctured. The three specimens 

 agree in this last-mentioned character. The dense, distinct punctuation of the thorax 

 gives it a dull appearance. 



20. Scirtes salicis. 



Elliptic, rather narrow, shining ; fusco- or obscure rufo-testaceous, the head and prothorax sometimes a little 

 paler than the elytra, the legs and antennae testaceous, the basal joints of the latter paler ; thickly clothed 

 with fine pallid pubescence. Head, prothorax, and elytra thickly, very minutely punctate ; antennae 

 moderately long and slender, joint 3 small, a little shorter than 2, 4-11 rather elongate, gradually 

 decreasing in length ; prothorax short and convex, narrowing from the base, finely margined at the sides ; 

 elytra thickly, minutely punctate, the punctuation a little coarser than that of the prothorax, narrowly 

 margined at the sides; upper spur of the posterior tibiae rather more than half the length of the first 

 tarsal joint. 



Length 2-2^, breadth lg-l^ millim. 



aPtf" Hab. Guatemala, Panzos {Champion, Conradt). 



Found in numbers on willows on the banks of the River Polochic. This is one of 

 the smallest and most obscure of the Central-American species of the genus. It is 

 allied to S. angustatus, but is very much smaller and less elongate. The insect has 

 entirely the aspect of a very small Cyphon. 



21. Scirtes scymnoides. 



Elliptic, short, rather convex, shining ; rufo-testaceous, or fuscous with the basal and apical margins of the 

 prothorax and the scutellum reddish, the antennae and legs testaceous ; thickly clothed with fine pallid 

 pubescence. Head, prothorax, and scutellum very minutely punctate; antennae moderately long and 

 slender, joint 3 small, about as long as 2, the others elongate ; prothorax very short and convex, narrowing 

 from the base, finely margined at the sides ; elytra thickly, finely punctate, the punctuation much coarser 

 than that of the protharax, narrowly margined at the sides ; upper spur of the posterior tibise about half 

 the length of the first tarsal joint. 



Length 2, breadth 13-lf millim. 



Hab. Panama, Bugaba {Champion). 



Two examples. Very like S. salicis, but shorter and more convex, the elytra not so 

 finely punctured, the punctuation being much coarser than that of the thorax. The 

 insect resembles a Scymnus, of the family Coccinellidse. 



biol. centk.-amer., Coleopt., Vol. III. Pt. 1, March 1897. 4K 



