puo^rF.TTirs. 287 



Geuus PROMETHUS, Thorns. 



Promethes, Fiirster, Verli. pv. Kheiiil. 1868, p. 1(52 jpavt.). 



Promethus, Thomson, Opusc. Ent. xiv, 1890, p. U7o. 



Sussaha, Cameron, Jouvu. IJouibay Nat. Hist. Soc. 1009, p. /28. 



Genotype, Bassus sidcator, Grav. 



This genus coutains the smallest and most fragile species of 

 the o-enus Bassus {scnsa Hohug.). It is at once recognised by 

 the entirely glabrous and very strongly nitidulous face m both 

 sexes and may be known from all other Bassides by having the 

 metathoracic spiracles small and immaculate, the scutellar fovea 

 simple and not trauscarinate, by its lack of an areolet and its 

 never entirely black abdomen. 



Range. Pa'lsearctic and Oriental Kegions. 



Some eleven Paltcarctic and three or four American species 

 have been described, but what it lacks in specific numbers is com- 

 pensated in that of individuals, for in Europe it is extremely 

 abundant throughont the summer on low herbage, more especially 

 in moist situations. It has very rarely been bred, and then, like 

 its immediate allies, the host has almost invariably proved to be 

 the larva? of aphidivorous Svkphid.b. 



But a single species, erroneously placed by Cameron in a new 

 o-enus, has liitherto been recorded from India, though further 

 nivestigation will in all probability prove it to be of very general 

 distribution in the more temperate regions. 



TahU of Species. 



1 (•'') Basal segment twice as long as broad ; 2nd 



basallv striate sulcatov, Cxrav. 



'> (1) Basal sesrmeut half as long again as broad ; 



2nd mainly striate pulchdlas, Holmg. 



:204. Prometlius sulcator, Gmv. 



Bassus mlcatoi: Gravenhorst, Ichn. Eur. iii, 1829, p. 320, excl. 



var. 1 ( d $) ; </• Holmgren, Sv. Ak. Ilandl. 185-1, p. 81. 

 Bunsiis festivus, Zetterstedt (7iec Fab.), Ins. Lapp, i, p. 378 ( 2 )• 

 Bassus areulatus, Holmgren, Sv. Ak. liandl. 1854, p. 85 ; op. cit. 



1855, p. 365 ( d 2 ) ; c/. Brischke, Schr. Nat. Ges. Danz. 1878, 



Pfomethus sulcator, Thomson, Opusc. Ent. xiv. 1890, p. 1479 ; 

 Morley, Trans. Ent. Soc. Bond. 1905, p. 429 (d §). 



A slender black species. Head as broad as thorax and tri- 

 an^^ular; cheeks elongate, epistoma of $ not pale ; frous smooth 

 and centrally subsulcate ; clypeus unequally foveolate and apically 

 slifhtly emarginate ; 6 with face, cheeks and frontal orbits 

 shortly stramineous ; $ with mouth and cly|)eus pale. Antenna: 

 ^jlon^ate, slender, tiliform, reaching beyond tho thorax nearly to 



