AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. 1G3 



Descriptions of new Genera and Species of Western SCAKAB^ID^, 

 with notes on others already known. 

 BY GEO. H. HORlSr, M. D. 



PH.ffi:OCHROUS, Casteln. 

 P? Behrensii, elongate-oval, blackish-brown, moderately convex and shin- 

 ing. Head paler in front, densely and coarsely punctured. Thorax twice 

 broader than long, narrowed in front, above moderately convex, sparsely punc- 

 tured, anteriorly emarginate, sides margined, moderately rounded, base sinu- 

 ate, angles obtuse. Elytra oval, convex, margin slightly thickened, above stri- 

 ate, with striae coarsely and closely punctured, interstices slightly convex, with 

 a single row of minute punctures. Body beneath jjaler, scarcely punctured. 

 Femora thickened; anterior tibise crenulate and with three large teeth on the 

 outer edge; middle and posterior tibise thickened at tip, obliquely truncate, and 

 with rows of sjiinose hairs. Length .4 inch. Breadth .22 inch. 



I refer to Phseochrous Casteln. (^Si/phodes Westw.) an insect from 

 California, (in the Cabinet of Henry Ulke, of Washington,) though 

 not without suspicion, that it may constitute a distinct genus, differing 

 from the descriptions of Phseochrous by such slight characters, that, 

 without reference to specimens, I am unwilling to separate it. 



The epistoma is broadly truncate, labrum very short, transverse, 



slightly emarginate. Mandibles projecting slightly beyond the labrum, 



>V\:^n;^ giving the front a bilobed appearance. The antennoe are 



^ //55r?^ jjgj^j.]y jjg in pjiseochrous, vfiih the eighth joint very large 



'and concave, almost entirely hiding the ninth and tenth 



joints, which are much shorter, and are spongy, except 



slightly corneous at base ; scutellum moderate, apex rounded. 



The four hinder tibite are rather suddenly thickened at apex 



and obliquely truncate, and with three rows of spinous hairs. 



The tarsi are somewhat shorter than the tibite, the last joint longer, 



with strongly curved, equal claws. 



The discovery of this insect in California is remarkable, as it affords 

 an analogue of the Hi/hosurus of our Eastern States, itself being an 

 emigrant from Europe. It is indeed possible that the insect just de- 

 scribed may have been imported from the East Indies to California, 

 as the commerce between the two countries has already assumed some 

 magnitude. I have in my collection also a Cerambycide, found by 

 Mr. Gabb, in the Coast Range south of San Francisco, undoubtedly 

 identical with an Australian species, and with the knowledge of the 

 introduction of this and other insects by transportation in ships, I 

 have supposed that even P? Behrensii may be really a foreigner to our 



