118 WILLIAM G. DIETZ, M.D. 



fairly distinct, suberect sette. Prosternum canaliculate with the antecoxal ridges 

 railier distinct. Tibise slender, armature not very conspicuous; tarsi moderately 

 stout, third joint deeply bilobed; fourth long and slender, projecting nearly 

 twice the length of the preceding; claws moderately large, connate for less tlian 

 one-lialf their length ; a short vitta of paler scales on the base of the third ely- 

 tral interspace. Length 2.75 — 3.0 mm.; 0.11 — 0.12 inch. 



Hab. — Texas, La., Ark. 



Very distinct from the preceding two species, with which it has 

 been confounded in collections. Differs by its smaller size, small 

 glabrous scutel, different arrangement of patterns, the more slender 

 and somewhat shining beak and the more slender and longer fourth 

 tarsal joint. 



Specimens vary in extent of the dark spots, which become almost 

 obsolete in some as well as the dark thoracic vitta. Several speci- 

 mens in my collection, collected by Wickham at Big Springs, Tex., 

 have the elytra broadly rounded on the sides, and the interstitial 

 setse scarcely perceptible. 



P. centralis n. sp. — Very similar in form and coloration to the preceding, 

 from which it differs in the following characters: Prothorax less transverse, 

 more broadly rounded on the sides; the dark elytral spot much wider at base; 

 interstitial seta? almost imperceptible; fourth tarsal joint projecting beyond the 

 third joint about the length of the latter; claws rather small and connate almost 

 to the apex. The latter character is remarkable here, and at once distinguishes 

 this species from any other of the present genus. 



A single % specimen in my coll. from Texas. 



P. lateralis n. sp. — Oblong-oval, pitchy black ; vestiture rather dense, 

 consisting of small, oval, yellowish gray and brown scales. Beak moderately 

 stout, regularly curved and longer than head and prothorax: densely punctured 

 and finely pubescent in its basal third, more shining and more finely punctured 

 beyond, very slightly tapering from base to apex, basal tufts nearly obsolete, 

 constrictions not deep; scrobes less oblique. Autennse inserted a little before 

 the middle ( 9 ), first and second joints of funicle elongate, slender, former about 

 one-third longer than the latter, and this nearly twice as long as the third; 

 clava elougate-ovoidal, acuminate, basal joint sparsely pubescent, shining. Head 

 not shining, front densely punctured, pubescent. Prothorax about as long as 

 wide at base, moderately rounded on the sides, broadly but not strongly con- 

 stricted at the apex, rather remotely punctured on the disc in front, which is 

 shining, more densely punctured on the side and along the base, punctures rather 

 large, but superficial, transversely oval in the basal third, giving an appearance 

 of concentric rugse ; scaly vestiture sparse, a little more dense on the sides; 

 scutel small, distinct. Elytra fully one-third wider at base than the prothorax ; 

 humeri prominent, sides parallel and nearly straight for two-fifths their length, 

 thence gradually narrowed to the apex, stri.Te distinct, punctures not evident, 

 interstices wide, flat; suberect setae scarcely visible, sides grayish white, first to 

 fourth interspaces, except a short basal vitta on the third, dark brown. Pro- 



