24 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL, MUSEUM vol.70 



this genus, there is great variability, and a large series of each species 

 is necessary to understand and illustrate the many forms. 



Oedionychis petaurista has been found feeding on Verbena species 

 in Washington, D. C, and W. S. Blatchley reports it on strawberry 

 and bitter weed ( ? Helenium species) in Florida. It is also reported 

 as feeding on Verbascum thapsus and Cassia species. 



In the National Museum are two specimens that superficially re- 

 semble petaurista but are probably not that species. They do not 

 agree very closely with any of the vittate species described by Von 

 Harold, but without examination of his types it is impossible to be 

 sure that they do not belong to one of these. The species differs 

 from petaurista in the more oblong shape, due to the wider pro- 

 thorax which narrows only little anteriorly, and is fully three times 

 as wide as long. The species also differs from petaurista in the more 

 truly marginal outer elytral vittae, which are very narrow, not curv- 

 ing over humeral prominences or on sides of elytra, but almost con- 

 fined to the explanate margin, although the outer edge of the mar- 

 gin is yellow. From above this narrow dark vitta is not readily 

 seen. The third antennal joint in both specimens is slightly shorter 

 than the fourth. The head in one is deep reddish brown, almost 

 piceous, becoming paler on clypeus, and coarsely punctate through- 

 out, and in the other yellow brown and smooth on occiput. The 

 pronotum in both has a wide, undulated fascia. As in petaurista, 

 none of the elytral vittae quite reaches apex. The punctation is 

 fine and shallow, and the surface more shining than is usual in 

 petaurista. The ventral surface is yellowish or reddish, and the 

 epipleura differ from those of petaurista in being pale. Length 6 

 mm., width 3 mm. Both specimens were collected in Florida. (Haw 

 Creek, Hubbard and Schwarz; Sunny Hill, in stomach of quail.) 



16. OEDIONYCHIS AMPLIVITTATA, new species 

 Fig. 14. 



Oblong-oval, moderately convex, shining, head mostly dark except 

 for yellow margin about eyes, pronotum broadly explanate, yellow 

 with a small, irregular spot on either side or these spots united into 

 a large central blotch, elytra yellow with wide, black, sutural vitta 

 and wide lateral vitta. Antennae stout, piceous, not half so long as 

 body, third joint a little longer than fourth. Head shining, occiput 

 and front covered with a large piceous spot, often with a metallic 

 luster, and leaving only margin about eyes yellow; a deep median 

 and transverse groove on front. Pronotum nearly three times as 

 wide as long, with wide, slightly reflexed, explanate margin; shin- 

 ing, a few indistinct, scattered punctures; yellow with a reddish 



