■ CYPHON. 621 



each an oval depression at the base, as in the female of C. quadrifoveolatus, but the 

 depression is smaller, shallower, and more rugose than in that species ; the post- 

 median depressed space is placed at about one-third from the apex, replacing the 

 apical fovea of C. quadrifoveolatus. The elytra are broadly and abruptly truncate at 

 the apex. 



6. Cyphon atratus. 



<$ . Oval, rather convex, shining, finely pubescent ; black or pitchy-black, the front of the head, the legs, and 

 antennae testaceous, the latter infuscate at the tip. Head moderately broad, sparsely, very minutely 

 punctate, the eyes rounded and rather large ; antennae a little more than half the length of the body, not 

 very slender, joint 3 very small, narrower and much shorter than 2, 4-10 gradually decreasing in length. 

 Prothorax short and convex, narrowed in front, the sides a little rounded, the surface sparsely, very 

 minutely punctate. Elytra very finely, closely punctate, the punctuation becoming still finer on the 

 anterior part of the disc ; in one specimen with indications of two faint oblique raised lines on the disc. 



Length lg-2^, breadth lg-1^ millim. 



Hab. Mexico, Cordova (Edge), Atoyac and Teapa (H. H. Smith); Guatemala, San 

 Geronimo, San Isidro (Champion) ; Nicaragua, Chontales (Janson). 



Eight examples, differing a little inter se, seven of which are certainly, and the other 

 probably, males. These specimens cannot be referred to any of the species described 

 here from females only. G. atratus approaches G. impressipennis, but has stouter 

 antenna. Compared with males of C. bifoveolatits, it has these organs less elongate. 

 The female probably has the elytra formed as in one or the other of the allied forms. 

 The North- American G. obscurus (Guer.) is probably a near ally of C. atratus, but it is 

 considerably larger. 



7. Cyphon variabilis. 



Cantharis variabilis, Thimb. Mus. Upsal. iv. p. 54 (1787) l . 



Elodes variabilis, Guer. Spec, et Icon. gen. des Anim. Art. livr. iii. no. 9, p. 4, tab. figg. 12, 13 2 . 



Cyphon variabilis, Horn, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. viii. p. 108"* 3 . 



Oval, moderately convex, shining, finely pubescent; variable in colour — rufo- or fusco-testaceous, the head 

 and elytra sometimes suffused with piceous, the latter usually with a large yellowish patch at the apex, 

 and in one specimen with a broad scutellar patch, a large patch at the sides, and a common oblong mark 

 beyond the middle piceous ; the legs and antennae testaceous, the latter becoming more or less infuscate 

 outwards, sometimes piceous, with the exception of the three basal joints. Head moderately broad, 

 closely, very distinctly punctate, the eyes rounded and rather small; antennse rather more than half the 

 length of the body, joint 3 nearly or quite as long as 2, 4 elongate, 5-10 much shorter than 4, slightly 

 decreasing in length. Prothorax short and convex, narrowing from the base, a little rounded at the apex 

 in the middle, thickly minutely punctate, the punctuation becoming denser at the sides. Elytra thicklv, 

 finely, uniformly punctate, without trace of raised lines. 



Length 2^-3, breadth l|-lf millim. (d $ .) 



Hab. North America 2 , Hudson's Bay region to Florida and Texas 3 , and also in 

 Vancouver I. 3 — Mexico, Mexico city, Cerro de Plumas [Edge); Guatemala, Coban 

 and San Geronimo in Vera Paz, Duerias, Champerico (Champion). — Europe 12 . 



* Por the rest of the American synonymy, see Horn (loc. cit.). 



