COLEOPTERA OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. 81 



HYDROSCAPHID.E. 



Hydroscapha. H. natans is probably not a rare in- 

 sect, though very seldom taken; when one is discovered a 

 considerable number may usually be obtained by patient 

 search. I have taken it close to the bank in a mountain 

 stream, and also in a muddy spot in a cow pasture near 

 Pomona; Crotch took the first examples in the Los 

 Angeles River. 



Sphaerius. S. politus is rather common on the sandy 

 margins of streams, and is often started in numbers by 

 "washing" the banks. 



SCAPHIDIID.E. 



Scaphisoma. S. castaneum, not very common, found 

 in and about decaying and fungus-grown wood in damp 

 or wet places: rufulum, occurs at Yuma (Le Conte). 



PHALACRID.E. 



The species of this family are for the most part com- 

 mon on flowers; they are difficult to identify with cer- 

 tainty, and have been generally neglected by collectors. 



Phalacrus. P. ovalis, common at Pomona, Riverside, 

 etc.: of penicillatus (so named by Casey) a number of 

 specimens were taken in the San Bernardino Mountains: 

 conjunctus, same locality as the last; also San Diego 

 (Casey). The species here called ovalis is possibly not 

 that species; it was pronounced " n. sp." by Casey, to 

 whom specimens were sent for identification, but a com- 

 parison with Le Conte's types shows scarcely any tangible 



6 July 15, 1901. 



