132 Journal New York Entomological Society. [Voi.vii. 



Cranophorini. 

 The remarkable development of the pronotum over the head, with 

 total or partial obliteration of the anterior thoracic emargination, so 

 universal in the famil)^, is probably due to environments essentially 

 similar to those of Saciiim, where the structure is similar and points 

 apparently to a true affinity between these genera, confirming the re- 

 lationship between the Coccinellid^e and Corylophidae, which is well 

 known to exist. The body is narrowly oval, usually rather pointed 

 behind, the abdomen with the genital segment large and well devel- 

 oped, generally with a terminal seventh segment in the males, the 

 metacoxal arcs entire in Cranophorus but extremely short. The 

 middle coxae are widely separated, the anterior very narrowly for the 

 present family, the scutellum rather small, the palpi securiform, the 

 antennce only moderately short, with the joints of the club well defined 

 though not very loose, and the legs are perfectly free. The three 

 genera known to me may be thus defined : — 



Antennal club narrow, parallel or fusiform and 3-jointed ; body small or minute.. 2 



Antennal club gradually inflated and 5-jointed 3 



2 — Pronotum evenly rounded in circular arc at apex, the cephalic opening beneath 

 horizontal, the presternum convex in the middle, not at all deflexed ; fifth ventral 

 segment not much longer than the fourth ; epipleurne gradually dilated toward 

 base but relatively narrow even at the widest part and horizontal or feebly 

 descending externally ; tarsal claws cleft within beyond the middle and also with 



an internal basal enlargement ; body distinctly pubescent ^ Cranophorus 



Pronotum truncate at the middle of the apex, the cephalic opening inclined upward 

 posteriorly, the mouth protected in part by the prosternum, which is very strongly 

 deflexed, flat, with strongly arcuate apex ; fifth ventral very much longer than the 

 fourth, the sixth less developed ; epipleurK not dilated, very narrow, flat, but 

 little wider than the met-episternum ; tarsal claws small, apparently merely en- 

 larged within at base ; body minute and subglabrous Nipus 



3 — Body larger ; metacoxal arcs complete and about two-thirds as long as the segment. 



*Oryssomus 



Cranophorus is South African and several new forms will be de- 

 scribed in the appendix to the present paper. Oryssomus is South 

 American, and Nipus is Californian and perhaps Sonoran. 



Nipus, gen. nov. 

 The two species of this genus at present known may be defined as 

 follows : — 



Body elongate-oval, the elytra gradually obtusely pointed behind, black, the pronotum 

 nebulously pale and broadly impresso-explanate at the sides, especially toward 



