272 GEO. H. HORN. 



C Slitnralis Lee. — Oblong oval, narrower posteriorly, moderately convex, 

 piceous black, very shining, side margin of thorax and lateral border of elytra 

 beginning one-third from humerus, yellowish testaceous. Antenna 9. jointed, 

 testaceous, club darker. Head very indistinctly, sparsely punctate. Thorax 

 very smooth and shining, the punctuation very sparse and tine, indistinct, no 

 basal marginal line, the lateral pale border sharply limited, wider posterioi'ly. 

 Elytra very smooth and shining, near the base scarcely at all visibly punctate, 

 the punctures, however, quite distinct near the apex and at the sides. Body 

 beneath piceous, opaque. Legs piceous, or rufo-piceous, the tibipe and tarsi always 

 pale. Posterior femora finely longitudinally strigose, sparsely punctate, not pu- 

 bescent, middle and front femora densely punctuhite, pubescent and opaque, 

 except at apex. Length .06 — .08 inch. ; 1.5 — 2 mm. 



The prosternum and niesosternum are simple, without trace of 

 carina. The maxillary palpi short and stout as in inonticola. 



This insect has a form in the series entirely its own being distinctly 

 narrowed posteriorly as in Lhnnobius. In my first studies of it in 

 1873 it cost me considerable trouble to verify all the facts in relation 

 to it from the fact that the small size made it troublesome to handle, 

 and, because at the same time, I was led to differ so completely with 

 the views expressed by Dr. LeConte. The abdomen has fhe usual 

 number of segments of Hydrobius, but in the typical male the usually 

 concealed sixth segment had become unusually prominent, and ex- 

 hibits at its base a triangular depression, whicii is explained by an 

 examination of the similar segment in any of the larger species of 

 the tribe. 



The original specific description says " elytris parce suhtiliter pu- 

 hescentibus," and I have never been able to explain the use of such 

 an expression in reference to an insect so smooth that even the punc- 

 tuation is indistinct. 



Occurs from Canada southward to Georgia, but not yet recorded 

 from New England States. 



Vj. clespectus Lee. — Elliptical, very convex, piceous, surface distinctly 

 ieneous. Antennae 9-joiuted (PI. iv, fig. 19), entirely rufo-testaceous. Head 

 impunctate, very finely alutaceous (subgranular with high power). Thorax 

 sparsely, finely and indistinctly punctate, surface rather more distinctly aluta- 

 ceous than the head, no basal marginal line. Elytra very little more distinctly 

 punctate than the thorax, the punctures distant, intervals distinctly alutaceous. 

 Body beneath piceous. Legs reddish brown ; posterior femora finely longitu- 

 dinally strigose and sparsely obsoletely punctate, middle and anterior femora 

 densely punctulate and pubescent, except at apical third. Length .06 inch.; 

 1.5 mm. 



Prosternum distinctly carinate, mesosternum with a small but 

 acute protuberance. Maxillary palpi as in monticola. 



