COLEOPTERA OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, 81 



HYDROSCAPHIDiE. 



Hydroscapha. — H. natans is probably not a rare in- 

 sect, though very seldom taken; when one is discovered a 

 considerable number may usually be obtained by patient 

 search. I have taken it close to the bank in a mountain 

 stream, and also in a muddy spot in a cow pasture near 

 Pomona; Crotch took the first examples in the Los 

 Angeles River. 



SPH.ERIID.E. 



Sphaerius. — *Si. politits is rather common on the sandy 

 margins of streams, and is often started in numbers by 

 "washing" the banks. 



SCAPHIDIID.E. 



Scaphisoma. — S. castaneum, not very common, found 

 in and about decaying and fungus-grown wood in damp 

 or wet places: rufulum, occurs at Yuma (Le Conte). 



PHALACRIDiE. 



The species of this family are for the most part com- 

 mon on flowers; they are difficult to identify with cer- 

 tainty, and have been generally neglected by collectors. 



Phalacrus. — P. ovalis, common at Pomona, Riverside, 

 etc.: of penicillatus (so named by Casey) a number of 

 specimens were taken in the San Bernardino Mountains: 

 conjunctus, same locality as the last; also San Diego 

 (Casey). The species here called ovalis is possibly not 

 that species; it was pronounced " n. sp." by Casey, to 

 whom specimens were sent for identification, but a com- 

 parison with Le Conte's types shows scarcely any tangible 



6 July 15, 1901. 



