BEMBIDIIN/E 123 



than three times as long as wide; prothorax scarcely a third wider 

 than long, widest barely before the middle, the sides broadly and 

 very moderately rounded to the abrupt deep sinus just before the 

 right and rather prominent angles, the base decidedly arcuate; im- 

 pressions subobsolete, the short stria extremely fine; foveae small, 

 rather deep, linear, separated from the short fine carina; elytra ob- 

 long, parallel, one-half longer than wide, fully three-fourths wider 

 than the prothorax; striae moderate, not obviously impressed, the 

 punctures distinct to the declivity; foveae at two-sevenths and two- 

 thirds. Length (cf) 3.8 mm.; width 1.6 mm. Rhode Island (Bos- 

 ton Neck) argutum n. sp. 



Prothorax always much wider than an elytron, the base distinctly nar- 

 rower than the apex 61 



61 Form peculiarly elongate and subparallel, brownish-black, the pro- 

 thorax unusually large, sometimes but little narrower than the elytra. 

 Upper surface with more or less aeneous lustre, shining, the head 

 alutaceous; elytra with the tip and sometimes an external connected 

 subapical spot, both very nubilous and feebly defined, pale; under 

 surface piceo-rufous, the abdomen clearer rufous, the legs very pale; 

 head well developed, four-fifths as wide as the prothorax, wider than 

 an elytron, with very moderate eyes and short broad shallow sulci; 

 antennae fuscous, clearer basally, the medial joints not quite three 

 times as long as wide; prothorax two-fifths wider than long; base 

 only four-sevenths the maximum width, the sides moderately re- 

 flexed, subevenly and strongly rounded to a very short parallel 

 part just at the right angles; impressions subobsolete, the short stria 

 very fine; foveae very small, rather deep, lineato-oval, separated 

 from the very short feeble carina; elytra parallel, with broadly arcu- 

 ate sides and circular tip, very long, at least three-fourths longer 

 than wide, not over a third wider than the prothorax, the striae 

 rather strong, feebly impressed, subequally distinct nearly to their 

 point of disappearance at the summit of the short declivity, with 

 the moderate punctures even and distinct almost throughout their 

 length; foveae more or less near basal and apical third. Length 

 (cf 9 ) 4.6-5.1 mm.; width 1.55-1.7 mm. New York (Long Island) 

 and New Jersey. Twelve examples contractum Say 



Form always much less elongate and rather more convex, or more ven- 

 tricose, the prothorax in all cases much narrower than the elytra; 

 color invariably black, with more or less feeble metallic lustre as a 

 rule 62 



62 Head well developed, as wide as an elytron and with notably prom- 

 inent eyes 63 



Head small, with only moderately prominent eyes, always distinctly 

 narrower than an elytron 64 



63 Body rather stout and convex, shining, greenish-black, the anterior 

 parts alutaceous; elytra with a distinctly defined marginal subapical 

 pale spot, broadly connected with the distinct pale apex, sometimes 

 also with a short external irregular fascia near basal third, which is 

 however extremely indistinct; head over three-fourths as wide as 

 the prothorax, the sulci rather wide, not very deep; antennae fusco- 



