SUBFAMILY III. — BLISSIN^E. 369 



parallel from base to beyond middle, thence converging to apex; disk 

 with a vague broad postmedian, sparsely punctured transverse impres- 

 sion in front of which is a distinct median longitudinal impressed line. 

 Elytra very small, reaching base of second dorsal, finely punctate, each 

 puncture with a short yellow hair; membrane narrow, whitish-hyaline. 

 Length, 5 — 7 mm. 



Dunedin, Fla. (W.S.B.). St. Petersburg, Fla., April 28 

 (Barber). Known elsewhere only from Tampa and Clearwater, 

 Fla. A submaritime species occurring on coarse grasses along 

 the shores of bays. 



II. Blissus Burmeister, 1835, 290. 



Small oblong-oval species having the head declivent, its 

 width across eyes about one-half that of hind margin of pro- 

 notum ; antennas about as long as head and pronotum united, 

 basal joint slightly surpassing tip of tylus, fourth joint fusi- 

 form, stouter and longer than second, third one-half to two- 

 thirds the length of fourth ; pronotum convex at middle, thence 

 declivent, both in front and behind ; scutellum rarely carinate ; 

 connexivum very narrowly exposed, males, more distinctly so, 

 females ; membrane in macropterous forms reaching almost to 

 tip of abdomen, in brachypterous ones only to third dorsal ; 

 front coxal cavities open along hind margin of prosternum. 

 Other characters as in key. Two species and three varieties 

 occur in the eastern states. 



KEY TO EASTERN FORMS OF BLISSUS. 



a. Pronotum not prominently and abruptly silvery-gray in front of 

 middle; corium and membrane with veins straw-yellow. 

 b. Pubescence of pronotum not long, erect and tawny-yellow in hue. 

 c. Pronotum and scutellum densely and coarsely punctate; abdomen 

 at least twice as long as head and pronotum united ; fourth 

 joint of antenna? double the length of third. 312. validus. 



cc. Pronotum and scutellum finely, more sparsely punctate, the punc- 

 tures separated by at least their own diameters; abdomen less 

 than twice as long as head and pronotum united ; fourth anten- 

 nal one-half longer than third. 

 d. Antennae with apical half of third joint and all of fourth black; 

 apical spot of corium piceous. 312. leucopterus. 



dd. Antennae with first three joints and base of fourth dull yellow; 

 apical spot of corium brown or paler. 313a. var. arenarius. 

 bb. Pubescence of pronotum and sides of abdomen in great part long, 

 erect and a tawny-yellow in hue. 313b. var. hirtus. 



aa. Front half of pronotum densely clothed with prostrate silvery-gray 

 pubescence, this contrasting strongly with the deep velvety black 

 of hind portion; corium and membrane with veins whitish, con- 

 colorous with the disk. 313c. var. insularis. 



