BEMBIDIIN^E 19 



have scarcely any value in classification. The head and eyes are 

 moderate in size as a rule, when compared with the first two groups. 

 The carina at the sides of the thoracic base is always long, strong and 

 conspicuous; so this feature will seldom be alluded to in the descrip- 

 tions. The species are very numerous but only very few of them 

 have been described; those at hand may be defined as follows, they 

 being assignable to three distinctly circumscribed sections: 



Striae of the elytra with extremely fine punctuation, the dorsal foveae 

 small; body black, highly polished, the legs black or piceous, the 

 hind body never much inflated; thoracic impressions very deep and 

 conspicuous; antennae rather thick as a rule; species occurring in 

 damp moss. Section LIONEPHA in sp 2 



Striae without discernible punctuation; body oblong, the prothorax gen- 

 erally very short and transverse, broadly reflexed at the sides, the 

 basal impressions large and shallow, the carinae very long, conspicu- 

 ous; hind body oblong, never so much as one-half wider than the 

 prothorax; dorsal foveae large, conspicuous and impressed; upper 

 surface very moderately convex; legs, antennae and palpi black. 

 Section PLATAPHUS Mots.(?) n 



Striae similarly impunctate; body more or less ventricose; prothorax very 

 moderately transverse, subcordiform, the sides strongly sinuate 

 basally as a rule, the basal impressions large and deep, the elytra in- 

 flated, oval, frequently pale in color or opalescent, the dorsal punc- 

 tures large but less so and less impressed than in the preceding sec- 

 tion; general habitus somewhat as in Trechus. Section TRECHO- 

 NEPHA nov 17 



2 Striae wholly obsolete, on the disk externally, visible and moderately 

 impressed toward the suture; upper surface notably convex; body 

 deep black, polished, the legs black to rufous 3 



Striae visible throughout nearly the entire width, but little more impressed 

 suturally; upper surface much more depressed, about as much so 

 as in the planatum group 10 



3 Sides of the prothorax broadly though evidently sinuate basally; eyes 

 very moderate in size 4 



Sides oblique, but never more than very faintly sinuate basally; size 

 smaller 6 



4 Antennae notably slender. Body elongate-oval, convex; head three- 

 fourths as wide as the prothorax, the sulci deep, extending behind 

 the middle of the eyes; prothorax a third wider than long, the base 

 slightly wider than the apex; subbasal impression evident, entire, 

 the stria entire, moderate; basal foveae very deep; surface punctu- 

 late at base; sides distinctly reflexed, broadly rounded, converging 

 and broadly sinuate basally, the angles right; elytra oblong-oval, 

 nearly one-half longer than wide, two-fifths wider than the prothorax; 

 sutural stria rather deep, the next two feeble; anterior fovea at basal 

 fourth, the other at three-fifths; surface with a small discal punc- 

 ture very near the apex; hind tarsi slender, the first joint as long as 



