53S TRANS. ST. LOUIS ACAD. SCIENCE. 



Plochiomis timiihis is originally described by S. S. Halde- 

 man* as follows : — 



P. timidus. — Dull reddish-brown above; antennDe, legs, lower surface 

 and lateral margins of prothorax and elytra, testaceous ; elytra wide, 

 deeply striate, interstices convex. 8 mill. long. 



It is redescribed by Dr. Hornf us follows : — 



P. timidus^ Ilald. — Very similar in form and color to /fl//e«5. The 

 thorax rather shorter, the sides more arcuate, the hind angles more 

 sharply rectangular. The tarsi are slender cylindrical, not liattened or 

 sulcate above, the unguis with longer pectination. L. .28-. 30 in; 7~7'S 

 mm. Male anterior tarsi narrowly dilated, the first three joints biseri- 

 ately squamulose beneath, middle tarsi less dilated, first joint hairy be- 

 neath, the next three squarnulose, anal segment bisetose each side. Fe- 

 male tarsi slender, anal segment with three or four setae each side. — Pa. 

 to Tex. and Cal. 



The following descriptions of the earlier stages are drawn from 

 a few of the many specimens observed by msyelf during the past 

 summer : — 



Nezvly hatched larva 3 mm. long, colorless, tapering from the head, 

 "with 13 segments exclusive of head. Ninth abdominal segment with a 

 pair of 4-jointed cerci. Antennce. cerci, and body, sparingly pilose. — 

 Described from three living specimens. 



Fidl-gro-wn larva 10 to 15 mm. long, wider at metathorax, the number 

 of segments unchanged. Head somewhat chitinized, light brown. Body 

 segments with chitinized dorsal plates deepening in polor to the abdomen, 

 where they are black. Meso- and meta-thoracic segments with one small 

 ventral and four lateral plates each. Abdominal segments with four 

 small lateral and five ventral plates each, the latter contluent on the last 

 three segments. Cerci of 9th segment 5-jointed. Unchitinized parts pale, 

 the dorso-lateral plates visible from above. — Described from one living 

 and five alcoholic specimens. 



Pupa 5-6 mm. long, white and soft, distinctly showing the members 

 of the imago; sparingly beset with spreading rusty hairs. Head inclined 



destroying the larvae of two or three species of Tortrix and Tineid larvae which web the leaves 

 of oaks in the autumn. I have no doubt it will prove to be one of the most useful of preda- 

 ceous insects, and I congratulate you on your discovery. 



•' I do not think it has appeared much to the east of St. Louis, as the ravages of the web- 

 worm in some parts of Illinois and through portions of Indiana as I passed in August last 

 exceeded anything that I had previously seen. Xo mention of the Carabid was made at the 

 meetings of the Entomological Club." 



* Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, vol. i p. 2S9. 



t Amer. Entom. Soc. x. 1SS3, p. 145. 



