94 CASEY 



thorax barely one-half wider than long, the sides parallel and 

 straight, becoming broadly rounded before the middle and 

 strongly convergent and less arcuate apically, sinuate as usual at 

 apex, the angles obtuse and bluntly rounded; surface alutaceous, 

 extremely minutely, sparsely punctulate, the punctures becoming 

 more visible but still minute and unusually sparse laterally, the 

 side margins rather strongly channeled and more coarsely beaded 

 than in any other species of the group, recalling the abdominalis 

 group somew^hat; scutellum moderate; elytra as wide as the pro- 

 thorax, fully one-half longer than wide, gradually rather acute at 

 apex, the surface with numerous feeble sinuous impressed lines 

 , and generally a few broader, irregular and eroded longitudinal 

 lines, the punctures very sparse and minute, still fine and sparse 

 laterally; punctures of the prosternum and abdomen fine and 

 sparse, of the hind femora rather closer, more distinct and some- 

 what pubiferous. Length 11.0-11.6 mm.; width 5.0-5.1 mm. 

 California vema n. sp. 



II — Elytra short, barely two-fifths longer than wide, somewhat in- 

 flated behind the middle, where they are evidently wider than the 

 prothorax, with the sides broadly arcuate, the apex very obtuse. 

 Body short, strongly convex, not very intense black, dull or sub- 

 opaque in lustre throughout above ; head finely but deeply, not 

 closely punctate, unimpressed, the canthi equally prominent; 

 prothorax transverse, three-fourths wider than long, the sides 

 broadly rounded and converging before, becoming parallel and 

 straight behind, the middle, broadly sinuate at apex, with the 

 angles right and but slightly blunt; punctures medially very 

 minute and rather sparse, less minute and very close-set laterally, 

 the marginal bead very fine; scutellum broadly triangular; elytra 

 smooth, minutely, rather sparsely punctured suturally, much more 

 closely and sti'ongly so laterally though still rather finely, the 

 margin very finely reflexed ; prosternum finely but strongly, rather 

 closely punctate, the abdomen minutely, feebly and more sparsely, 

 the hind femora finely and less sparsely. Length 8.4 mm. ; width 

 4.0 mm. California (Owen's Valley). Described from the 

 female opaca Horn 



Elytra longer, parallel, never inflated and less obtuse at apex 12 



12 — Form very broadly oblong. Body moderately convex, black, 

 dull and subopaque in lustre ; head rather finely and closely, 

 strongly punctate, the apical sinus deep and rather narrow, the 

 apical lobes unimpressed or very obsoletely so, the canthi sub- 

 equally prominent; prothorax of peculiar form, transverse, fully 

 two-thirds wider than long, the sides rounded and strongly con- 

 vergent anteriorly, becoming parallel in basal two-thirds and 

 rather deeply and evenly sinuate at each side at about basal 

 fourth, the apical sinus broadly rounded, the angles slightly ob- 

 tuse, bluntly rounded, the basal angles not pronounced, the lateral 

 sinuses of the base moderate; surface minutely but strongly and 



