CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 305 



This very distinct species is dedicated with great pleas- 

 ure to Mr. W. Ct. W. Harford, of the California Academy of 

 Sciences. 



PLATYUSA n- gen. (Aleocharini.) 



Ligula loug, with two ai^proximate a-id robust processes at tip; paraglossre 

 short, pointed, robust; labial palpi slender, joints snb-equal in length, de- 

 creasing very rapidly in thickness; maxillary palpi very long and slender, 

 third joint nmch longer than the second, fourth joint spiniform or subulate, 

 but not received within the tip of the third; mentum broadly and very feebly 

 emarginate. Antennas very robust, basal joint extremely robust, second and 

 third equal, much more slender, eleventh very large, moderately compressed. 

 Head very short and broad, strongly constricted behind. Prothorax as wide 

 as the elytra at base. Presternum short, strongly and transversely swollen 

 or sub-carinate; mesosternum moderately separating the coxie; process 

 short, truncate at tip; coxal cavities complete; metasternal process on the 

 same level as the mesosternal but having a thick, slightly elevated border. 

 Tarsi 4-5-5-jointeJ; first joint of the posterior elongate. Under surface of 

 the head having a fine but distinct and entire carina under 'and behind the 

 eye. 



This genus belongs very near Myrmedonia to which I had 

 assigned the specimens as a rather aberrant species. It 

 hoAvever, differs so greatly in general appearance and espec- 

 ially in the structure of the ligula and antenniB, that I do 

 not think it can be placed there wdth any degree of pro- 

 priety. Platj'usa evidently approaches Platonica Sharp, 

 described from Mexico (Biologia Central!- Americana, I, p. 

 214), but differs from it in the robust basal joint of the 

 antennse, in the structure of the apical processes of the 

 ligula, which are very short and robust, and by the form of 

 the paraglossia which are not attenuated. 



P. SOnomse n. sp. — Form depressed, robust; dark reddish-testaceous, 

 elytra near the scutellum and toward each exterior apical angle black; abdo- 

 men above piceous-black except toward the base which is reddish-fuscous; 

 beneath piceous with the apical border of each segment paler; pubescence 

 fine, rather long, recumbent and close, except on the abdomen where it is 

 almost entirely absent, and replaced toward tip by a few erect bristles; basal 

 segments each with a single transverse row of long, fine hairs; antennte in- 

 fuscate, slightly paler toward b:ise and at tip. Head very robust, much wider 

 than loug, extremely finely and rather sparsely punctate; eyes riither large, 



