1S<>9] 



ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 



abdomen, ami, bringing it in contact with the spines on the 

 elytra, sets the tip of the abdomen in vibration. By the con- 

 stant rubbing of the spines against the roughened portion the 

 curious sound is made. The spines being directed posteriorly, 

 the sound is produced only when the tip of the abdomen is 

 raised. The sound is therefore intermittent, although it 

 appears continuous because of the rapidity of the vibrations of 

 the abdomen. 



Since both sexes possess these organs, it does not seem prob- 

 able that the sound is used for sexual attraction. This beetle 

 has a pungent, disgusting odor, which possibly makes it dis- 

 tasteful to birds or other enemies. It may be that this sound 

 is used as a note of warning. 



A NEW DESTRUCTIVE CAPSID. 



BY P. E. UHLEK. 

 Dicyphus minimus, n. sp. 



A slender, cylindrical, black, polished, resembling D.('(il(f<n'ni<-nx 

 Stal, but much smaller and more slender. Head much wider than 

 the front of pronotum. highly polished, bald, moderately narrowed 

 at base, front strongly convey, the line bounding it-below deeply 

 defined, cly peas prominent; antenna? black, slender; the basal joint 

 scarcely as long as the head, whitish at base, second fully twice as iong 

 as the basal and almost ;i< thick, third and fourth more slender, the 

 third longer than the others, the fourth nearly of the same length as 

 the second ; rostrum testaceous, piccous at tip, reaching behind the 

 posterior coxae. Pronotum black, a little wider than long, with 

 the calloseties transverse, middle line impressed, pale in less mature 

 specimens, collum narrow, very distinct, testaceous or lemon- 

 yellow, surface tranvcr-ely wrinkled, more -onvexor the posterior 

 lobe, lateral margins distinctly reflexed ; sternum, coxa? and legs 

 yellowish-white, with the tarsi piceous at tip. Scutellum black, 

 polished, longitudinally carinated, marked with two yellow, triang- 

 ular spots. Hemelytra translueent. pule yellow or testaceous du.-k\ 

 on the inner half throughout, minutely, remotely punctate, the base 

 ofcuueus with a la rye black >pot ; membrane dusky, veins and veins 

 of wings blackish. Abdomen greenish, more or less black on the 

 sides and at tip. 



Length to tip of venter :?!%, 92 mm., to tip of hemelytra -J , 

 mm- Width of pronotum }.> mm. 



Numerous specimens of both sexes have been sent to me 

 from various parts of Florida. 



