TKH'.i: XX.--<'KrTOKIlYX<'HIXI. 4<K> 



grayish-white scales; elytra with a distinct elongate post-scutellar spot 

 of white scales. Beak and head densely and finely punctate, thinly clothed 

 with small oval scales. Thorax about one-half wider than long, feebly 

 constricted near apex, dorsal channel entire, disc finely and closely punc- 

 tured. Elytra one-third wider at base than thorax, sides subparallel, 

 striae rather wide, not deep, their punctures concealed by the scales: inter- 

 vals wide, feebly convex. Length 2.5 mm. (Fig. 103, D.) 



Ft. Monroe, Ya., April 10. Tluilmnn, Ga., April 28. Described 

 from a single Indiana specimen without definite locality. 

 "Easily recognized by its elongate form, very dense scaly vesti- 

 tnre and very small lateral thoracic tubercles." (I)ictz.) In 

 form and appearance it resembles Plnjtobiiis, the dense over- 

 lapping scales suggesting that, like that genus, it is semiaquatic 

 in habits. 



XVII. PI-IYTOBIUS Schn., 1830. (Gr., "plant" + "living.") 



Beak stout, cylindrical, nearly as long as thorax; eyes small, 

 rounded, convex, fully exposed; base of thorax prolonged back- 

 wards into an acute triangular process; prosternum without an- 

 tecoxal ridges; legs long, slender, femora unarmed; tarsi narrow, 

 third joint not or feebly bilobed (Fij-, 00, /. ) ; claws simple. 

 Two species occur in our fauna. 



KEY TO NORTH AMERICAN Sl'ECIES OF PHYTOBITS. 



a. Thorax at base one-half wider than long, narrowed in front; mesoster- 

 nal side pieces visible from above; surface covered with a dense layer 

 of overlapping scales forming a waterproof covering as in Bagous. 



723. CRISKOMICANS. 



na. Thorax very little wider than long, scarcely narrowed at apex; meso- 

 sternal side pieces not visible from above; scales of upper surface 

 not overlapping. 724. VELATUS. 



723 (11,079). PIIYTOBTUS CRISKOMICANS Schwarz, 1891. 165. 



Oval. Pitchy-black, above densely clothed with grayish slate-colored 

 scales having a peculiar velvety appearance; antennae and legs redd'sh- 

 yellow; under surface with larger, less densely placed white or yellowish 

 scales; elytra often with a large heart-shaped scutellar spot of similar 

 scales; apical edge of elytra reddish. Beak slightly longer than thorax, 

 feebly curved, finely and densely punctate, scaly near base. Thorax feebly 

 constricted near apex, the apical cusps very small; lateral tubercles distinct, 

 acute; disc densely and finely granulate-punctate, its dorsal channel entire. 

 Elytra two-fifths wider at base than thorax, humeri rounded, prominent, 

 sides straight to beyond middle, then rounded to tips; striae wide, punc- 

 tate; intervals convex, the fifth strongly so on basal half. Tarsi as long 

 as the tibiae, without swimming hairs. Length 2.2 3 mm. 



Known from Ottawa and Quebec, Canada, Wisconsin, ToAva, 

 Dakota and Kansas. Described by Dietz as a new species under 



