a new Genus of Carahideous Insects. 211 



length, and do not sensibly diminish in width at the tip. The 

 thorax is very nearly spherical, but rather longer than broad, its 

 upper surface is remarkably convex, and presents a faint dorsal 

 channel ; there is also a longitudinal groove on each side marking 

 the place where the lateral reflected margin is usually found ; near 

 this lateral line are two largish punctures. Between the chief 

 portion of the prothorax and the abdomen is a slender cylindrical 

 neck, or peduncle, which widely separates these parts, as in the 

 Scaritidcs ; this neck is in fact formed of a constricted portion of 

 the prothorax, which meets and joins a similar produced part of 

 the mesothorax ; the prosternum is produced between the anterior 

 pair of legs. The elytra are remarkably convex, of an ovate 

 form, and enclose the sides of the abdomen ; they are very deeply 

 striated throughout ; the striae are distinctly punctured, and the 

 interspaces are very convex. The scutellum is long, pointed, 

 and very narrow. The legs are long and moderately stout ; the 

 anterior femora are very thick and much arched above ; the 

 anterior tibiae are long and rather slender, deeply notched on the 

 inner side, the notch situated rather below the middle, the spine 

 in this notch is very small, the apical portion of these tibiae is not 

 dilated nor are there any distinct spines on this part. The anterior 

 tarsi (the specimen being a male) are slightly dilated ; the four 

 basal joints are nearly equal in size, furnished with a series of 

 minute bristles at the sides, and with a spongy substance beneath ; 

 the claw bearing joint is long and stout. The tarsi of the middle 

 pair of legs are not dilated, they have the sides furnished with 

 minute bristles, but no spongy substance beneath. The posterior 

 tarsi as usual are longer and more slender than the others ; like 

 the tarsi of the other legs, they are equal in length to about two- 

 thirds of that of the tibiaj to which they are joined. The whole 

 insect is of a glossy black colour, with the exception of the seven 

 apical joints of the antennae, which are brown, and the palpi, which 

 are somewhat pitchy and pale at the extremity. 

 Its principal characters may be thus expressed : — 



Genus. DispHERicus. 



Caput elongatum •, labnim brevissimum, antice emarginatum ; 



labium apice subemarginatum ; palpi articulo extimo obtri- 



angulari ; aiitermce longag, subcrassiores. 

 Thorax valde convexus, fere globosus. 

 femora antica crassiora ; iibice intus emarginatae. 



