IIENICOCEPUALID-E. 1 93 



Family HENICOCEPHALIDiE. 



Tin's is a very small family, founded on a single genus, though 

 Bei'groth has referred to a second genus the published description 

 of which has not a[)peared. 



These insects often appear in swarms like gnats, as recorded by 

 Blanchard and Berg in South America and by Green in Ceylon. 



Their peculiar structure, especially of the head and pronotum, as 

 detailed in the description of the typical genus, renders this family 

 very easily recognizable. The venation of the tegmina has been 

 minutely described by Kirby (Journ. Linn. Soc, Zool. xxiv, p. 116, 

 1891), "and figured by Kirkaldv (Ent. Month. Mag. 1901, 

 p. 219). 



Genus HENICOCEPHALUS. 



Euicocephalus, Westw. Tr. E. S. ii, p. 22 (1837) ; Stdl, Bid. till 



Rio-Jan. Hem. i, p. 81 (1858). 

 Henicocephalus, Stdl, Hem. Afr. iii, p. 166 (18G5) ; Bercp-. Rev. 



cVEnt. viii, p. 319 (1889) ; 'Chcmij). Biol. Centr.-Am., ' Rhynch. 



ii, p. lo8 (1898). 

 Systelloderes, Blanch, in Gay, Hist, de Chile, vii, p. 224 (1852). 

 Oncvlocotis, Stal, 0/r. Vet.-Ak. Forh. xii, p. 44 (1855). 

 Steiiopirates, Walk. Cat. Het. vii, p. 139 (1873). 

 Dicepbahis, Kirbi/, J. Linn. Soc, Zool. xxiv, p. 115 (1891). 

 lleusebiella, Horv. Rev. d'Ent. vii, p. 169 (1888). 

 Hymenodectes, JJhler, Tr. Maryland Acad. Sci. 1892, p. 180. 

 Hymenocoris, Uhler, torn. cit. p. 181. 



Type, H.jiavicollis, Westw., a Neotropical species. 



Distribution. Apparently of universal distribution. 



Body oblong, depressed ; head uarroNved and prolonged auberiorly, 

 distinctly divided into two divisions by a transverse impression 

 behind eyes, the posterior lobe globose ; antennae a little longer 

 than the pronotum, four-jointed, second joint longest ; pronotum 

 with two transverse constrictions, thus exhibiting three distinct 

 lobes ; anterior legs subraptorial, the feuiora more or less incras- 

 sated, the anterior tarsi ai'med with either one or two long 

 apical claws ; intermediate and posterior legs moderate, with their 

 tarsi two-jointed*, a shox't basal and a long apical one; hemelytra 

 complete, the veins robust. 



* Westwood, who founded the genus, and some subsequent writei-s have 

 described these tarsi as three-jointed, but we agree with Champion in considering 

 them two-jointed only. 



YOL. II. O 



