198 MEMOIRS ON THE COLEOPTERA 



shorter than the fourth. Middle coxae very widely separated, 

 the mesosternal process scarcely extending to their middle, where 

 its broad apex abuts closely in a transverse suture against the broad 

 apical truncature of the long flat metasternal projection. First 

 four joints of the hind tarsi subequal, the fifth relatively very long. 



Neither this genus, Amenusa nor Apheloglossa, which belongs 

 to this group of genera, seems to have any close European relatives 

 and they are undoubtedly peculiar to the American fauna ; they are 

 probably not in their correct systematic position in the present 

 statement, but should possibly be placed closer to the Gyrophsenid 

 series, though, in habitus, they bear no resemblance whatever 

 to the latter. 



The following is the type of Pectusa and the only species now 

 known : 



Pectusa oblonga n. sp. Short, stout, parallel, distinctly convex, rather 

 shining though very finely and closely punctured, somewhat asperulately 

 on the elytra, the abdomen with fine and moderately close punctulation 

 throughout; color black, the elytra dark brown, blackish basally and 

 postero-externally, the legs piceous in great part; pubescence short, 

 palish but inconspicuous; head large, rather transverse, almost four- 

 fifths as wide as the prothorax, the eyes large but not very prominent, at 

 barely half their own length from the base, the tempora rapidly converg- 

 ing and arcuate to the very broad base; antennae rather short, but little 

 longer than the head and prothorax, black, scarcely piceous basally, 

 gradually becoming very thick distally, the third joint shorter and thinner 

 than the first, fourth but little thicker, slightly transverse, fifth larger 

 but not very abruptly, the tenth twice as wide as long, the last conical, 

 longer than the two preceding; prothorax fully two-thirds wider than long, 

 widest near apical third, where the sides are rather broadly rounded, 

 thence feebly converging, becoming straight, to the obtuse but distinct 

 basal angles, the surface very feebly transversely impressed before the 

 scutellum; elytra strongly transverse, with just visibly diverging sides, at 

 base very slightly wider, the suture barely a fourth longer, than the pro- 

 thorax; abdomen short and broad, almost as wide as the elytra, parallel, 

 with feebly arcuate sides and well developed margins, the surface trans- 

 versely and moderately convex. Length 1.7 mm.; width 0.55 mm. 

 Mississippi (Vicksburg). 



To be known readily by its short, compact and subparallel form, 

 coloration, gradually very incrassate antennae and well developed 

 eyes. The single type is probably female, though indeterminate, 

 since the portion of the abdomen behind the fifth segment is strongly 

 retracted. 



