Xoveniber 1S94. | 



PS re HE. 



161 



live specimens ; those of the scales, from 

 slides prepared by the writer, X 150 and 

 350. The head of tlie insect is more 

 nearh' round and more narrowed 

 behind than shown In the drawing, 

 and the l)odv is too wide at the 

 mesonotum, the body being widest at 

 the beginning of the long fourth bodv 

 segment and sloping gradiiall)- to the 

 head. 



Sella biiskii Lubbock, Monograph Col- 

 lem. p. 145; Fig. PI. 22. Dark violet when 

 mature. Younger specimens paler but the 

 color disposed as in the adults. Dorsum 

 of body and antennae violet. Head, proxi- 

 mal segments of antennae, upper part of 

 femora, under surface of body and elater 

 yellowish. Legs shaded with purple. Eyes 

 eight on conspicuous dark patches wliicli 

 extend backward a little on the cheeks 

 and are joined in front by a ivide band. 



Head conspicuous by its yellow color 

 contrasting with the dark violet of the 

 mesonotum. Nearly round or broadly oval 

 slightly longer than broad. 



Anteiiiiae purple or pale violet excepting 

 the basal joint and base of the second joint 

 whicli are yellowish brown. Second joint 

 equal or shorter than the third. Fourth 

 joint somewhat longer than the tliird. B.Tsal 

 joint short. 



Body fusiform, broadest at the fifth 

 segment. Sixth body segment longer than 

 the three preceding. Thoracic bowed hairs 

 conspicuous. Body clothed with scattered 

 bowed hairs which are near the posterior 

 part of the body and often 133 |i long. 



Elatei- long, hairy. Dentes annulated 

 with numerous narrow rings. Hind legs 

 longest. Feet all alike. Small claw plain. 

 Large claw armed with three small teeth in 

 the inner face and one on the outer margin. 

 A single tenent hair from 30 to 40 |jl long 

 and extending near) V to the end of the claw, 



curved, swollen and beaked at the end on the 

 side toward the claw. 



Scales about 35 |i long, vari;ible in width, 

 sometimes only half as broad as long, oblong, 

 lanceolate to ovate, the widest part near the 

 base. Pedicil rather sliori and stout, 

 markings as shown in Lubbock's Mono- 

 graph, PI. 71 for Seira i«.vX-// Lubbock. 



We give detailed measurements of two 

 specimens which will show the variation. 



No. I. — Total length, exclusive of elater, 

 1.3 mm. ; head, .29 mm. long, .23 mm. broad ; 

 antennae, .532 mm.; joints, .053, .133, .146, 

 .1 mm. Body i.oi mm. long, .27 mm. broad 

 at the fifth segment; sixth segment, .319 mm. 

 as long as three preceding; spring, .605 mm. 

 long; manubrium, .339; dentes and mucrones 

 together, .266 mm. 



No. 2. — Total length, 1.72 mm.; head 

 .319 X .319 mm. ; antennae, .77 mm. ; segment 

 .05, .239, .239 and .25 mm. Body 1.4 mm. ; 

 sixth segment, .372 as long as the two pre- 

 ceding; spring, .64 mm.; manubrium, .239 

 mm.; dentes and mucrones, .399 mm. 



If Lubbock's measurements of 5. biiskii 

 (1-15 in.) express an average, then our 

 specimens are smaller, but if the extreme 

 size, then the size is about the same, as some 

 specimens measured were 1.75 mm. 



Habitat. Lubbock says his speci- 

 mens were only found in greenhouses 

 and hot-houses and he doubts whether 

 the species is indigenous to Great 

 Britain. Our specimens were found in 

 the cellar of Coburn Hall at the Maine 

 State College where boxes from foreign 

 localities have been unpacked. The 

 specimens are abundant under rubbish, 

 among old papers and under boards on 

 the floor and about the window sills. 

 We have never taken it in the upper 

 floors of the building where 5". miniica 

 n. sp. is common, though both species 



