88 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 



NOTES ON THE WINTER AND EARLY SPRING 

 COLEOPTERA OF FLORIDA, WITH DESCRIP- 

 TIONS OF NEW SPECIES. 



BY W. S. BLATCHLEY, INDIANAPOLIS, 1ND. 



(Continued from p. 66). 

 Ora hyacintha, sp. nov. 



Elongate-oval, strongly depressed. Nearly uniform testaceous, 

 feebly shining, the thorax, scutellum, front tibiae and apex of hind 

 femora in some specimens more or less infuscate. Head broad, 

 finely and sparsely punctate; eyes small, coarsely granulate, 

 separated by more than twice their own diameters; antennae slender, 

 half the length of body, the second joint much stouter and slightly 

 longer than third, the two united shorter than fourth, which is 

 subequal to those which follow. Thorax twice as wide as long, 

 sides broadly rounded, base bisinuate; front angles rounded, hind 

 ones obtuse, disc finely and sparsely punctate and with a small 

 irregular impression each side of middle. Elytra conjointly one- 

 half longer than wide, distinctly wider than thorax, margins strongly 

 flattened and reflexed; disc widely, shallowly but obviously bisul- 

 cate, finely, sparsely and irregularly punctate. Presternum with 

 a very thin, blade-like process between the front coxae; middle and 

 front femora stout, hind ones greatly enlarged; under surface 

 minutely and rather densely punctate, very finely pubescent. 

 Length 5.5 — 6.5 mm. Width 3.5 mm. 



Described from 16 specimens taken from the southeastern 

 shore of Lake Okeechobee, March 6 and 7. They were found 

 only in and beneath the hollow stems of decaying water hyacinth 

 {Piaropus crassipes Mart.) next to the water's edge. When the 

 stems were broken open the beetles would emerge and jump about 

 in a grotesque manner. Supposing they were some form of Halti- 

 cini, I recorded them at the time as "flat jumping Chrysomelids." 

 From other described species of Ora they differ especially in the 

 uniform dull yellow colour and more distinct sulcations of elytra. 



The genus Ora is closely allied to Scirtes, differing mainly in 

 the presternum being prolonged in a very thin lamina between the 

 front coxae, and in the margins of the thorax and elytra being 

 strongly flattened and reflexed. The hind coxae are also separated 

 posteriorly by an intercoxal process. 



March, 1914 



