PHALACRID.E 43 



flat. Body evenly oval in form, strongly shining, though with dis- 

 tinct micro-reticulation throughout the head, pronotum and elytra, 

 the under surface black, the legs and antennae piceo-rufous; head 

 rather small, much less than half as wide as the prothorax, the 

 latter distinctly more than twice as wide as long; scutellum not one- 

 half wider than long; elytra barely at all longer than wide, obtuse at 

 apex, about twice as long as the prothorax; discal stria extending to 

 basal fifth or sixth. Length 1.5-2.2 mm.; width 0.8-1.35 mm. 

 Rhode Island and New York to North Carolina and westward to 

 Michigan, thence southward to Tennessee and Missouri; one, 

 . apparently not differing, is from Columbus, Texas. Very abundant 

 Fifty-two examples politus Mels. 



Metasternal process similar in its very broad, notably extended and cir- 

 cularly tipped form, but with the apical beading notably finer and 

 more convex; head larger; species more tropical in distribution. .19 



19 Body larger, more oblong-elongate, the prothorax remarkably de- 

 veloped, scarcely twice as wide as long. Form oblong, equally 

 obtuse anteriorly and posteriorly, black, the tibiae, tarsi and antennae 

 dark rufous, the latter rather long, the fourth and fifth joints each 

 between two and three times as long as wide, the funicle much longer 

 than the club; upper surface micro-reticulate throughout, but feebly 

 so anteriorly; the head and pronotum also very minutely, sparsely 

 punctate; prothorax about twice as wide as the head; scutellum rather 

 more than one-half wider than long; elytra but just visibly longer 

 than wide, barely twice as long as the prothorax, the discal stria 

 extending to basal fourth; series sometimes accompanied internally 

 by feebly impressed lines; under surface shining, broadly almost 

 impunctate toward the sides. Length 2.4-3.0 mm.; width 1.4-1.8 

 mm. Mexico (Tepehuanes, Durango), Wickham. . *obscurus Shp. 



Body smaller, more oval, the prothorax shorter, evidently more than 

 twice as wide as long; pronotum in all cases distinctly margined 

 medially at base as usual 20 



20 Scutellum scarcely one-half wider than long; discal stria of the elytra 

 barely extending to basal third. Outline broadly, evenly oval, very 

 obtuse behind, the upper surface very distinctly micro-reticulate 

 throughout; under surface black, the legs dark rufous, the antennae 

 flavo-testaceous, the club not darker, shorter than in obscurus 

 though similarly proportioned; head rather more than half as wide 

 as the prothorax, the minute sparse punctures on the reticulate 

 ground rather distinct; elytra about as wide as long, not quite twice 

 as long as the prothorax, evenly parabolic in form, having a some- 

 what pearly lustre; metasternal process very broad and long, cir- 

 cularly rounded at apex. Length 2.0 mm.; width 1.3 mm. Texas 

 (Brownsville) and Mexico (Durango), Wickham. .subtropicus n. sp. 



Scutellum much more transverse, three-fourths wider than long; discal 

 stria of the elytra longer, attaining basal fourth or fifth. Form not 

 quite so abbreviated as in the preceding, evenly oblong-oval, very 

 obtuse behind; entire upper surface micro-reticulate but more feebly 

 than in the preceding, the lustre more polished; under surface black, 

 the legs and antennae piceo-rufous; head about half as wide as the 



