1007.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELI'HIA. 493 



piccous black. Characters of the front, vertex, pro- and nicsonotum 

 almost exacdy as in simplex: the anterior etlge of the pronotuni is, 

 however, more regularly roiuided instead of forming an indistinct angle 

 at the inner corner of the eyes; the mesonotum is shorter with its lateral 

 posterior margins much less oblique and the pectoral (lap of the pro- 

 notuni is narrower and more transverse. Immediately below this 

 flap y)r()jects the inferior end of one of the pleural pieces; in decoraius 

 it.s sides are almost at right angles with the emarginated apex which 

 fits around the base of the intermediate coxa?; in simplex the hind edge 

 of this piece is oblique and the apex is scarcely sinuated; the next 

 adjoining piece is almost square in this new species but subtriangular 

 in sim.plex. 



Color fuscous deepened almost to ferruginous in the male in which 

 sex the elytra and al^domen are deep piceous black, almost blue-black 

 on the elytra, with the base of the abdomen and the apex of the genital 

 segments touched with fulvous. Legs fulvous with the tarsal claws 

 antl the line of fine bristles on the edges of the tibiae blackish; the 

 pustulate border of the front is also slightly infuscated. In the female 

 the general color is more flavous and this pale color is much more 

 extended over the abdomen and inner field of the elytra. 



In the characters of the male genitalia this species is quite distinct. 

 The ventral aspect of the genital segment is much shorter with the 

 valve small and triangular, not short and transverse as in simplex; 

 the plates (stiles of some authors) are much shorter and more rounded 

 and do not nearly attain the anal tube. In simplex the plates are 

 longer and thicker, are narrowed to an incurved pointed apex like the 

 strong stout claws of some birds, and in my specimens project almost 

 at right angles to the apex of the segment, and would about reach 

 the anal tube if depressed. 



Described from one male and three female examples taken at 

 Charlotte Harbor, Florida, by Mrs. Slosson. At first sight this looks 

 like a mere color variety of simplex, but the different form of the pro- 

 and mesonotum, pleural pieces and male genitalia as well as its very 

 distinct coloring will readily separate it. This species and simplex 

 differ from our three other known species, histrionicus Stal, rugosus 

 liall, and bivittatus Ball, in having a pale clypeus. 



t;cnus HYSTEROPTERUM A. and S. 



Hysteropterum cornutum Melichar. 



Dr. Melichar has described this species on p. 1-47 of his Monograph 

 of the Issida. His specimens were from California, but I found it 

 abundant in Utah and in Colorado west of the Continental Divide- 



