234 HEMIPTERA-HETEROPTERA. 
species has not yet been received by us from Central America. ‘The apical joint of the 
antenne has the base either pale whitish or unicolorous. 
13. Dysdercus ruficeps. (Tab. XXI. fig. 23.) 
Lygeus ruficeps, Perty, Del. An. p. 172, t. 84. £.. 7; H.-S. Wanz. Ins. iii. p. 95, f. 319’. 
Astemma ruficeps, Blanch. Hist. des Ins. p. 129. 8°. 
Dysdercus ruficeps, Stal, En. Hem. i. p. 128. 26°. 
Hab. Nicaracua, Chontales (coll. Dist.); Panama, Matachin (Dr. Thieme, coll. 
Oberthiir)-—Cotompia (Mus. Vind. Ces.), Bogota? (coll. Dist.); Braziu 123. 
Fam. CAPSIDA. 
Astemmites, Laporte, Ess. des Hémip. p. 36 (1885). 
Capsini, Burm. Handb. Ent. ii. p. 263 (1835). 
Bicelluh, Am. & Serv. Hist. des Hém. p. 275 (1843). 
Phytocoride, Fieb. Eur. Hem. p. 26 (1861). 
Isometopide, Fieb. Eur. Hem. p. 26 (1861). 
Capside, Westw. Intr. Class. Ins. ii. p. 479 (1840); Reut. Hem. Gymn. Eur. t. i. p. 18 (1878). 
Cimicide, Reut. (part.) Bih. Vet.-Ak. Handl. iii: 1, p. 8 (1875). 
The members of this family are readily recognized by the elongated and four-jointed 
antenne, of which the second joint is frequently more or less thickened at its apex, and 
the two terminal joints are always more or less slender, and also, and principally, by the 
corium terminating in a distinctly differentiated section, called the cuneus. 
If we except a very considerable knowledge of the Palearctic Capside, and a less 
acquaintance with those of the Nearctic Region, we may safely presume to say that 
those of the Ethiopian, Oriental, and Australian Regions are practically unworked and 
unknown. Of the Neotropical fauna the late Dr. Stal described many from Rio 
Janeiro; and Dr. Carl Berg has recently done the same for those of the Argentine 
Republic, whilst owing to the unexampled success of our collector Mr. Champion 
in procuring specimens of this family both in Guatemala and Panama, very much 
additional knowledge has been acquired. Mr. Champion’s captures in Central America, 
the description of which forms the ground-work and speciality of the following pages, 
are, without doubt, the largest and most extensive contribution to our knowledge of 
the Capside that have ever been, as yet, brought from the tropics; and from their 
multiplicity of generic forms, their extreme diversity of type, and their frequently extra- 
ordinary mimetic analogies with representatives of other families, they create an ardent 
desire to know more of the exotic members of this little-worked family. 
As might be anticipated, the acquisition of so much material belonging to an 
unworked field has necessitated not only the description of a large number of species, 
but the erection of numerous new genera for their reception. 
