178 



There are certain Brachycistis in which the venation is somewhat 

 reduced, but I do not know of one that even approaches the remarkable 

 combination of characters presented by this insect. It may prove to 

 be the yet unknown male of some other genus, but it would be hard to 

 even make a guess concerning it now. In the meantime it may carr^' 

 the at least temporary genus name of Brachycistellus and the species 1 

 call figitiformis. 



This insect is 4 mm. long, shilling black, with very thin longish whit- 

 ish pubescence; the wing bases, mandibles and tarsi are piceous; the 

 scape and funicular article are also slightly piceous; the flagellum is 

 opaque black. The surface of the body is mostly smooth and shining, 

 with very few scattering but rather strong punctures, more dense on 

 clypeus. pronotum, hind margin of scutel, and first abdominal segment. 

 The narrow upper portion of metathorax is separated from the rather 

 concave posterior declivity by an arched transverse carina; above 

 this carina the surface is strongly, roughly, longitudinally rugoso-pun- 

 ctate; below it is first a row of large punctures and then the surface 

 is finely roughened. The hiind tibial spurs are very long, being half 

 the length of the first tarsal article. 



