PHALERIA. 219 
the anterior angles obtuse, the base finely margined and with an oblique fovea on each side, the surface 
exceedingly finely and sparingly punctured, the sides rarely marked with reddish-testaceous anteriorly ; 
elytra the width of the prothorax at the base, the humeri not prominent, narrowly and finely striate, the 
strie punctured before the middle, deeply impressed behind, the interstices flat (if viewed with a strong 
lens exceedingly minutely and closely wrinkled) and finely and sparingly punctured, black, with the lateral 
margins testaceous throughout (the testaceous colour extending a little upwards on each side of the suture 
at the apex and sometimes a little inwards at the base), or (rarely) entirely reddish-brown or black with 
the apex occasionally testaceous; legs and antenne variable in colour, piceous or testaceous; beneath 
reddish-brown, finely and not very closely punctured, shining. 
Length 44-7 millim. (¢ 9.) 
Hab. British Honpuras, Belize (coll. F. Bates), mouth of the R. Sarstoon (blan- 
caneaux) ; GUATEMALA, Champerico (Champion) ; Nicaragua, Corinto (Champion). 
Var. Smaller; the sides of the prothorax broadly testaceous; elytra with about the three outer interstices 
testaceous, the testaceous colour extending inwards at the base and upwards at the apex. 
Hab. Guatemata, San José (Champion); Nicaragua, Corinto (Champion). 
A variable species. In the majority of the specimens the two outer interstices of the 
elytra are testaceous ; others have only the apex testaceous, or are wholly reddish-brown 
or black. All the examples from San José differ as above described; at Corinto the 
various forms were collected together. 1 met with this species in great profusion on 
the Pacific coast at Champerico, beneath refuse on the beach, the insect readily taking 
to wing when disturbed; it was not uncommon at San José and Corinto. Examples 
from the Atlantic coast, from British Honduras, agree perfectly with others found on 
the Pacific, at Champerico. We figure an example from British Honduras. P. longula, 
Lec., from Mississippi Island, Gulf of Mexico, to judge from the description, must be 
allied to P. dytiscoides. 
4. Phaleria marginipennis. 
Closely allied to P. dytiscoides, and differing as follows :—Rather larger and broader; the prothorax rather 
more rounded at the sides anteriorly, the sides straighter and more parallel behind the middle, the base 
narrowly margined; the elytra distinctly wider than the prothorax at the base, the humeri prominent, 
more or less distinctly margined with testaceous. 
Length 53-7} millim. (¢ 2.) 
Hab. Mexico, Tres Marias Islands (Forrer). 
Six examples, agreeing pretty closely; in all the elytra are distinctly wider than the 
base of the thorax, thus differing from P. dytzscoides. 
5. Phaleria opacicollis. 
Form of P. dytiscoides, piceous black, rather dull. Head rather closely and not very finely punctured ; pro- 
thorax broad, transverse, widest a little before the base, the sides distinctly rounded from the base and 
not much narrowed anteriorly, the anterior angles somewhat prominent though obtuse, the base narrowly 
margined and with an oblique fovea on each side, the surface dull (owing to the exceedingly minutely 
wrinkled sculpture) and evidently though very finely and sparingly punctured, the sides slightly paler 3 
elytra scarcely wider than the prothorax at the base, the humeri not prominent, finely striate, the strice 
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