Horn.] CYPHINI. 89 



^CYPHUS Germ. 



Cyphns Germ. Ins. Spec, nov., p. 427. 



Rostrum not longer than the head, robust, quadrangular, slightly nar- 

 rower in front, tip and geme deeply emarginate, above sulcate. Scrobes 

 lateral deep, well-defined, arcuate and passing directly beneath the eyes. 

 Eyes round, moderately prominent, finely granulated. Antennae moderate ; 

 scape feebly clavate, attaining the middle of the eye ; funicle 7-jointed, 

 joint 2 longer than the first, 3-7 sub-equal, slightly obconical ; club elon- 

 gate oval. Thorax broader than long, narrower in front, apex truncate, 

 base Insinuate. Scutellum small triangular. Elytra wider at base than the 

 thorax, humeri moderately prominent, rather more than twice as long as 

 wide, and at apex slightly acuminate. Metasternum moderately long. In- 

 tercoxal process broad, sub-truncate. Second abdominal segment as long 

 as the two following united, separated from the first by a feebly arcuate 

 suture. Articular surface of hind tibiae enclosed (cavernous), and ascend- 

 ing. Anterior and middle tibise feebly mucronate. Body densely scaly. 



The middle and hind tibiae have the articular surfaces ascending one- 

 third the length of the tibiae, the edge being sharp and fimbriate with 

 bristly hairs. The surfaces are however entirely glabrous. In addition to 

 the differences in the number of the dorsal segments of the sexes, the 

 females may be known by an additional character. On each side of the 

 last segment, is a short, rather deeply-impressed line, parallel with the late- 

 ral margin and about one-fourth the width of the segment from the side, 

 beginning at the last ventral suture and extending nearly half the length 

 of the segment. The last ventral of the male is not so marked, and is 

 rather longer than in the female. 



Two species occur in our fauna. 



Thorax abruptly narrowed in front, sides behind the front 

 angles strongly arcuate. Anteriorly rather abruptly 



truncate lautus. 



Thorax gradually narrowed from base, sides feebly arcuate . 

 Apex very obliquely truncate, with the upper margin 

 decidedly prolonged over the occiput. placidus. 



The differences between these two species are more appreciable in nature 

 than expressible by words. The punctures of the stria! are much finer in 

 placidus than in lautus. 



C. lautus Lee. (Tanymecus) Proc. Acad., 1854, p. 85. 



Form oblong, robust, densely scaly. Head and rostrum slightly longer 

 than the thorax. Rostrum trisulcate, median sulcus moderately deep and 

 extending to the occiput, lateral sulci short, slightly oblique, surface sparsely 

 punctured, moderately densely scaly. Thorax broader than long, sub- 

 quadrate, sides in front strongly arcuate and rather suddenly narrowed, 

 slightly sinuate before the hind angles, apex truncate, base bisinuate, hind 

 angles slightly laminiforni ; disc moderately convex, a fine median line 

 ending in a broad shallow fossa near the base, a short linear basal irnpres- 



PROC. AMER. PHILOS. SOC. XV. 96. L 



