108 H. C. FALL. 



2. N. liololeucus Fald. — Reddish brown, densely clothed throughout with 

 small appressed fulvous squamiforru hairs and suberect bristles of the same color. 

 The size is larger than in ventriculus, the antennae more slender, the tenth joint 

 about two and one-half times as long as wide, eleventh longer but not equal to 

 the two preceding united. Prothorax less than half as wide as the elytra, not 

 tuberculate on the disk. Elytra with perfectly unimpressed rows of very fine 

 distant punctures, accompanied by rather short suberect setae ; each interspace 

 with a line of similar but rather longer setae. First and second ventral sutures 

 bent forward at middle; legs longer, the thighs more slender at base than in 

 ventriculus. 



This common European species has been found in large numbers 

 iu a house in Moutreal, Canada, the identification having been 

 made at Washington from specimens sent to the National Museum 

 by Dr. Fletcher. 



NIPTINUS n. gen. 



It has been thought best to set apart as a distinct genus a small 

 number of species which partake of the characters of both Niptus 

 and Ptinus, though much more closely allied to the latter. Approach 

 is made to Niptus in the relatively short metasternum, which is, 

 however, not quite so short as in that genus, and in the short stout 

 form of body, which is not sexually modified. The eyes are rela- 

 tively smaller than in Ptinus (except perhaps in the apterous females 

 of that genus), but are of similar shape and not encroached upon 

 beneath by scales as in Niptus. In the well developed scutellum, 

 character of vestiture, sculpture of the upper surface and form of 

 legs and antennae there is a close agreement with Ptinus ; but the 

 complete obliteration at middle, of the first and second ventral sut- 

 ures, and the dense sculpture of the ventral surface, are characters 

 quite foreign to the latter genus so far as known to me. 



It is quite certain that Trigonogenius niveus and T. arcuatus of 

 Gorham, from Central America and Panama, should be referred to 

 Niptinus ; indeed, the former resembles very closely unilineatus Pic. 

 The first species described below is to be regarded as the type of the 

 genus. 



1. X. ovipenilis u. sp.— Piceous, shining, legs and antennae rufous. Head 

 finely granulose, clothed with very short white recumbent hairs; labrum strongly 

 transverse, trapezoidal, with yellowish marginal ciliae. Antennal foveae narrowly 

 separated; antennae about three-fourths as long as the body; first joint stout, 

 oval ; 2-10 similar, obcouic, about twice as long as wide, just visibly increasing iu 

 length toward the apex; last joint oval, one-half longer than the tenth, but of 

 equal width. Prothorax a little longer than wide; sides feebly arcuate, basal 

 constriction evident but not strong; surface closely granulose, disk not tubercu- 



