igoi] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 263 



Pupa of Necrophilus hydrophiloidcs. 

 F. E. Blaisdell, M.D. , San Francisco, California. 



Family SILPHID^. 



Order COLEOPTERA. 



Length 9 mm.; width 5 mm. — Ovate, slightly elongate ; head flexed 

 upon mesosternum ; abdomen depressed and curved ventrally ; color 

 creamy white ; appendages and expanded pronotal margins semi-translu- 

 cent ; eyes castaneous. Head entirely hidden by pronotum when viewed 

 from above ; interocular region just perceptibly convex, smooth, marked 

 with slight depressions ; maxillary palpi reaching nearly to posterior bor- 

 ders of middle coxae. Antennae curving backwards, first two joints pass- 

 ing around lower border of eyes, succeeding joints passing along sides of 

 prothorax, curving over distal ends of anterior and middle femora, last 

 two joints becoming visible beneath posterior angles of pronotum and be- 

 tween middle tibio-femoral joints and humeri. Pronotum evenly convex 

 from side to side ; basal angles rounded ; base truncate in circular arc ; 

 sides convergent anteriorly ; apex feebly sinuate, with angles broadly 

 rounded ; sides explanate. Anterior coxae hidden beneath mouth parts ; 

 anterior crura with tibio-femoral joints just beneath and posterior to mid- 

 dle of pronotal margins ; distal extremities of tibiae against and not ex- 

 tending beyond lobes of maxillae ; tarsi slightly converging to opposite 

 middle of posterior coxae. Mesonotum with disc evenly convex through- 

 out ; slightly opaque. Middle coxae visible between basal joints of ante- 

 rior tarsi. Middle crura flexed against sides of body and in close relation 

 to the anterior crura ; distal extremities of femora opposite to middle of 

 posterior third of pronotal margins, extending slightly beyond ; distal ex- 

 tremities of tibiae distant from each other and opposite middle of meta- 

 sternum laterally ; tarsi converging posteriorly, not coming in contact and 

 resting against lateral margins of wing-pads, with ungual joints over distal 

 extremities of posterior tibiae. Elytral pads embracing sides of body 

 ventrally, resting upon alar pads ; discal surface with the impressed striae 

 and convex intervals evident. Metanotum evenly convex throughout, 

 smooth and shining, about equal in length to mesonotum. Alar pads 

 nearly overlapped by the elytral ; basal angles being visible at middle of 

 sutural margin of elytral pads ; apical one-third uncovered, reaching pos- 

 teriorly to middle of hind tarsi and external to them. Posterior coxae 

 visible between middle tarsi. Posterior crura flexed and closely embrac- 

 ing sides of body ; tibio-femoral joints opposite to interval between .second 

 and third abdominal segments, extending outwards a short distance from 

 beneath elytral pads ; proximal portions of femora and nearly all of tibiae 

 being hidden beneath alar pads ; distal tips of tibiae visible mesially, spurs 

 nearly touching each other in middle line. Posterior tarsi separated by a 

 small triangular space at their basal thirds, parallel, and in contact for dis- 



