'213 



basim latissimo, lateribus leviter rotundatis et leviter marginatis, margine basali 

 recta, angulis fere rectis ; ehjlris capite atque pronoto lougioribus et multum lati- 

 oribus, proi)e media latissimis, validissime convesis, lateribus ovate rotuudatis, 

 leviter marginatis, apice sat acuminato ; pedibus nigro-piceis ; antennis flavis, 

 clavis obscuratis, ovatis. 



Body roundly ovate, almost hemispheric, very shining, indistinctly alutaceous 



throughout, deep black. 

 Head very large, produced in front ; eyes large, not prominent ; antenns? yellow, 



with the club dusky and ovate; palpi piceous. 

 Thorax small, broader but not longer than the head, widest at the base, sides 



faintly rounded and slightly margined, basal margin straight, with the angles 



nearly right angles. 

 Scutellum small, triangular, much acuminated. 

 Elytra longer and much broader than the head and thorax, widest near the middle, 



exceedingly convex, sides ovately rounded, slightly margined, apex rather 



acuminated. 

 Legs robust, pitchy black. 

 Under parts piceous, indistipctlj' alutaceous. 

 Differs from S. scutellaris in its smaller size, much smaller scutellum, and alutaceous 



surface ; from others in its larger size, subhemispheric form, alutaceous 



surface, yellow antenn;e, with the club dusky, ovate, and distinctly jointed. 

 Habitat, Europe. The first example taken in England was found by myself in a 



spider's web at Weston-on-the-Green, Oxfordshire, in 1845 ; it was subsequently 



taken by my brother, Eev. H. S. E. Matthews, near Gumley, Leicestershire, 



in moss; and also by Mr. G. E. Crotch, rather plentifully, in Wicken Fen, 



Cambridgeshire. 



Sphserius Texanus, sp. u. 



L. c. Y% lin. r= 0'50 mm. — Subhemisphericus, glaberrimus, nitidissimus, 

 impunctatus, aterrimus, capite atque pronoto longis, elytris brevibus ; capite 

 magno, prominenti ; oculis modicis, hand prominentibus ; pronoto sat longo, ad 

 basim latissimo, lateribus leviter marginatis, fere rectis, margine basali recta, 

 angulis obtusis ; elytris brevibus, capite atque pronoto latioribus et parum lougi- 

 oribus, prope media latissimis, lateribus marginatis et valde rotundatis, apice 

 acuminato ; pedibus robustis, piceis ; antennis perbrevibus, piceis, clava brevi 

 articulis singulis abrupte diminutis. 



Body subhemispheric, very smooth and very shining, impunctate, with the head 



and thorax rather long, and the elytra short. 

 Head large and prominent ; eyes moderate, not prominent ; antennje very short, 



piceous, the club short, with each joint abruptly smaller than the preceding. 

 Thorax rather long, widest at the base, sides slightly margined and nearlj- straight, 



basal margin straight, with the angles obtuse. 

 Scutellum very minute, triangular. 

 Elytra short, broader and rather longer than the head and thorax, widest near the 



middle, sides margined and much rounded, apes acuminate. 

 Legs robust, piceous. 

 Under parts black. 

 Differs from other species in its subhemispheric form, small size, short elytra, and 



especially in the peculiarly formed club of its antenna. 

 Habitat, North America. Found in Texas by Lieut. T. L. Casey, U.S.E. 



