APPENDIX. 



The Ventral Tubercle, 



Since the description of the "ventral tubercle'"' was printed (pp. 31 and 32) it lias 

 occurred to me that this peculiar structure may possibly be the orifice of the canals 

 leading from the odoriferous glands. These orifices are usually situated on each side of 

 the metasternum near the posterior coxae. If this be the case, it is possible that what 

 we have considered to be the first abdominal ventral segment may be the metasternum, 

 though this seems very improbable. 



Excluded Species. 



1. Halobates cdhinervus. Am. et Serv. (Hist. Nat. des Insectcs, Hemipteres, p. 412, 



1843), is a fresh-water Brazilian species, for which Mayr (Yerh. zool. bot. Ges., 

 1865, p. 445 ; and Reise d. Freg. Novara, Zool., Band ii., Abth. 1, p. 177, 1866) 

 founded the genus Brachymetra. It is to be noted that some authors write the 

 specific name cdhinervis, but the original is albinervus. 



2. Halohates pictus, Germ. (Herrich-SchafFer, Die wanzenart. Insecten, Baud viii. 



p. 108, 1848), is another fresh-water North American species, which we take 

 as the type of the new genus Stephania} A winged form of this is said to have 



' Stqjlumia, n. g. Body oval, luoderately pubescent. Head (with eyes) sulitriangular. Anternife fovir-jointed, 

 ■^vith two intermediate jointlets. Eyes large, situated at the .back of the head, and resting partly on the pronotnn\ 

 Ocelli absent. Prothorax transverse, broader than long, distinct from the mesothora.x. Mesothorax and metathorax 

 together cylindrical, subcoalesced, the suture between them distinct on the upper surface. Mesonotiun with a nan'ow 

 free process (scutellar), posteriorly overlapping the base of the abdomen. Metasternum not visible. Elytra and wings > 

 Front legs short, rather slender : tibia without an apical process; tarsus two-jointed, the second joint excavated beyond 

 the middle, but without a process, furnished with claws. Middle and hind legs rather long and slender, inserted at the 

 posterior end of the thorax ; the liind legs inserted above the middle legs. Middle legs without a fringe of long hairs ; 

 tarsus? Hind legs with one-jointed tarsus clawed before the tip. Abdomen short, sides furnished with a conspicuous 

 connexivum ; apex of male abdomen without a conspicuous rhomboidal appendage. 



Type. — Halobates pichts, Germ. Halobates platcnsis, Berg., also probably belongs to this genus, but I have seen larva; 

 only, and they have not the scutellar process of the mesonotum, which serves at once to separate this genus from Halo- 

 bates. I have also seen but one specimen of Stephania pida, and that a female, and not quite perfect, so that the generic 

 diagnosis is not so comj)lete as it might be. Metrocoris, Mayr (with a single species, Metrocoris brevis, Mayr, found in 

 Ceylon and India), is in many ways closely allied to Stephania and Halobates. So also is Platyyerris, mihi (with a sin"k' 

 species — Platygerris deprcssa, mihi — from Mexico). 



