136 MEMOIRS ON THE COLEOPTERA 



Subfamily SILVANIISLE 



The genera Silvanus Latr., and Cathartus Rche., are mutually 

 distinguishable at once by the structure of the antennal club; in 

 the former all the joints are perfectly free, while in the latter the 

 eleventh joint is broadly and closely joined to the apex of the tenth 

 and is considerably reduced in size. As represented by cassia 

 Reiche, the eyes are very much more developed in Cathartus than 

 in Silvanus and are less rigorously basal in position. 



In some way not precisely known, but probably because of a 

 surmise on the part of Mr. Grouvelle, the species described by me 

 under the name Silvanus gilce has been placed in synonymy with 

 Cathartus cassia. No statement could be more singularly and 

 obviously incorrect than this, for the two species do not remotely 

 resemble each other and belong to different genera. Gilcz is a true 

 Silvanus, of the planatus type, but it is very much stouter than 

 planatus, with very much larger and less acutely pointed oblique 

 prolongations of the anterior thoracic angles, very much coarser and 

 denser sculpture, especially of the elytra, longer antennae, with 

 similarly perfectly free eleventh joint and smaller head, but par- 

 ticularly and especially by the notably small eyes, situated as usual 

 at the extreme base. The eyes are not over a fifth as long as the 

 head inclusive of the mandibles, while in planatus they are about a 

 third as long. In any comparison with Cathartus cassia, the in- 

 congruity in regard to the eyes becomes still more startling, for in 

 the latter species they are larger than in any other Silvanid type 

 known to me, being in front of the base and more than a third as 

 long as the head. Silvanus gila is a remarkably distinct species, 

 not closely allied to any other so far described. 



Silvanus Latr. 



The following species is entirely unlike any other known to me. 

 Possibly it may be an adventitious importation but I am unable to 

 identify it among the old world species: 



Silvanus parviceps n. sp. Form moderately stout, convex and parallel, 

 brown in color throughout and dull, the elytra and abdomen more shining; 

 pubescence short, moderately distinct; head very small, not more than 

 three-fifths as wide as the prothorax, slightly wider than long, rather 

 coarsely and extremely densely punctate, feebly convex throughout above, 

 broadly arcuato-truncate at apex and without trace of epistoma; eyes 



