8 D. Sharp. 



species. The sculpture of the mentum is very dense, rugose, 

 and at the base only is distinctly divided into two areas. The 

 small notch at the extremity of the last ventral plate is very 

 shallow, and the ciliae it is set with almost fill it up. 



This belongs to a group of the genus rich in species, which 

 are extremely closely allied, a group which is represented in most 

 countries of the old world between Southern Europe and Australia. 

 It is also well represented in America, and the species are so 

 similar that comparison is necessary to enable the slight charac- 

 ters that distinguish the species to be appreciated. But few have 

 been described. I am not sure that H. squalidus will prove to be 

 more than a variety of the species called H. melanophthalmus by 

 Kuwert. But Kuwert is mistaken in his nomenclature. Mulsant 

 described H. melanopthalmus from a single example found in 

 Spain by Dufour, and he states that the species is entirely pale 

 beneath, while the H. melanophthalmus of Kuwert is black be- 

 neath. Even if the White Nile insect prove a mere variety of 

 the more northern species it will still have to be called H. squa- 

 lidus. That Kuwert should have fallen into this error, is remar- 

 kable, for Mulsant in the 2 nd edition (1885) of his "Palpicornes" 

 calls attention in a note to the fact that the specimens sent from 

 Greece and elsewhere to him as H. melanophthalmus were not 

 really that species. 



Six specimens in backwater near the river, North of (rebel 

 Ahmed Agha; two specimens, Gebel Ahmed Agha; two North 

 of Kaka. 



25. Philydrus pumilio n. sp. Anguste ovalis, parum con- 

 vexus, sat nitidus; supra pallide testaceus, capite nigra utrinque 

 flavo-maculato, prothorace disco haud vel tantum vage infuscato, 

 elytris crebre subtiliter punctatis ; subtus nigricans, lamina meso- 

 sternali parva. Long. 3 mm, lat. 1 1 / 2 — l s / 5 mm. 



This little species is closely allied to P. mesopotamiae Kuw. 

 but is slightly narrower, paler yellow on the elytra and rather 

 more closely punctate, and it is structurally distinguished by 

 the much smaller lamina on the mesosternum. There is no 

 trace of infuscation of the palpi. The punctuation of the thorax 

 and elytra is fine and rather close. The mesosternal lamina is 



