MORDELLISTEN A. 345 
a little thickened, 5-10 scarcely longer than broad, 11 a good deal longer than 10; prothorax transverse : 
elytra comparatively short, gradually narrowing from the base; beneath in great part black, the last 
ventral segments yellow ; pygidium very elongate in both sexes, two and a half times the length of the 
hypopygium ; legs more or less testaceous, the hind pair, and also the middle femora, piceous; the hind tibize 
with three sharp ridges—the first extending across the outer face of the tibia, the second one-half shorter, 
the third very short, subapical; the first joint of the hind tarsi with two rather long oblique ridges, the 
second joint with one only. 
Length to end of the elytra 13-2, to tip of the pygidium 23-24, millim. (¢ 2.) 
Hab. Mextco, Amula in Guerrero (H. H. Smith). 
Three examples. Easily separable from the other similarly-coloured species, /. bi- 
cinctella &c., by the first ridge of the hind tibie extending obliquely across their 
outer face to near the base. The first joint of the maxillary palpi in the male, as in 
M. palpalis, is wn0ore than twice as broad as long and somewhat hammer-shaped. 
M. amica, Lec., and M. minuta, Smith, both from Georgia, have the hind legs formed 
as In this insect. 
65. Mordellistena nigerrima. (Tab. XV. figg. 19; 19a, antenna; 198, 
hind leg.) : 
Rather short, slightly cuneiform, moderately broad, above and beneath, the legs (including the hind tibial 
spurs), palpi, and antenne black; the pubescence of the upper surface very fine, silky, black. Head 
broad, short, the eyes large; last joint of the maxillary palpi moderately stout, elongate-triangular, its 
inner and apical sides about equal in length, the inner apical angle rounded ; antenne extremely short, 
stout, joints 3 and 4 narrow, very short, equal, 5 about twice as wide as and much longer than 4, 5-11 
equal in width, 6-10 transverse, 11 much longer than 10; prothorax transverse ; elytra moderately long, 
subparallel in their basal half; beneath with some cinereous pubescence on the breast and on the base of 
each ventral segment ; pygidium short, stout, conical ; the hind tibiee with three, the first joint of the hind 
tarsi with two, short, faint ridges near the tip, the second joint of the hind tarsi simple. 
Length to end of the elytra 23-3, to tip of the pygidium 33-33, millim.; breadth 3 millim. (9.) 
Hab. Mexico, Saltillo in Coahuila (Dr. Palmer), Tupataro (Hége). 
Two examples, apparently both females. The form of the antenne and the very fine 
black silky pubescence of the upper surface chiefly distinguish this little species from 
the other black Mordellistene here described. The antenne, palpi, and legs are entirely 
black. The second joint of the hind tarsi is without ridges. 
66. Mordellistena annulipyga. (Tab. XV. figg. 20, ¢; 20a, hind leg.) 
Comparatively short, cuneiform, above and beneath black, the oral organs, the basal half of the pygidium, and 
the last ventral segment testaceous ; the elytra with two cinereo-pubescent fasciee—one before, the other 
beyond the middle, the first broad, angulate on its anterior edge, the second narrower, straight,—for the 
rest black-pubescent ; the pubescence on the head and prothorax cinereous. Last joint of the maxillary 
palpi piceous, long and stout, scalene-triangular ; antenne obscure testaceous, darker towards the tip, short 
and slender, joints 3 and 4 subequal, 5-10 a little stouter, not much longer than broad, 5 slightly longer 
than 4,11 very much longer than 10; prothorax transverse ; elytra comparatively short, gradually 
narrowing from the base; pygidium elongate, stout, twice the length of the hypopygium ; anterior and 
middle legs testaceous, the hind pair (the spurs excepted) piceous; the hind tibize with three, the first 
joint of the hind tarsi with two, short, oblique, parallel ridges. 
Length to end of the elytra 23, to tip of the pygidium 3, millim. (9.) 
Hab. Mexico, Amula in Guerrero (H. H. Smith). : 
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Coleopt., Vol. IV. Pt. 2, November 1891. 2QVY 
