Staplujlinid(B of the Amazon Valley. 207 



elytra, scarcely narrowed belilnd ; one^ and a half times as 

 lon^ as broad, with four punctures in a transverse line 

 across the middle ; exterior marginal line short and in- 

 distinct, terminating at the corner of the coxal cavity. 

 Elytra about as long as the thorax, sordid testaceous, 

 extremely finely punctured. Hind body impunctate. 

 Legs pitchy yellow ; femora very stout. 

 Ega ; one specimen. 



Ophites. 



This genus at present contains three very remarkable 

 species, described by Erichson, from South America ; it 

 appears to me to approach very closely to Cn/ptobium, 

 though Erichson interpolates many genera between the 

 two.*^ The single remarkable Amazonian species I here 

 describe has the head more abruptly narrowed, to form a 

 slender neck, than is the case in the species described by 

 Erichson, and its general appearance is rather that of a 

 Stilicus than a Cryptohium ; it also has the antennas and 

 palpi shorter and stouter than in O. velitarls and Raphi- 

 dioides. 



1. Ophites stilicoides, n. sp. Piceus, opacus, antennis 

 pedibusque rufis, omnium dense subtihssimeque punctu- 

 latus. Long. corp. 3^ lin. 



This insect has very much the form of an elongate 

 Stilicus. It is quite dull above, and everywhere ex- 

 tremely densely and finely punctured. The antennas are 

 reddish, about as long as head and thorax, very slightly 

 thickened towards the extremity, the 1st joint as long as 

 the four or five following together ; after the 1st, each joint 

 is a little shorter than its predecessor, the 10th joint only 

 about as long as broad ; the last joint small and rounded. 

 The head is broader than the thorax, nearly as broad as 

 the elytra, the front part much produced; the eyes placed 

 about the middle of the sides, the grooves for the antenna 

 very distinct. The thorax is only about half as broad as 

 the elytra ; about twice as long as broad, very slightly 

 broader from the base till two-thirds towards the front, 

 then narrowed to the apex ; it is obscurely elevated in 

 the middle at the base, and slightly depressed on each 

 side of this elevation ; the elytra are about as long as the 



