1899] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 5^ 



abdomen, and, bringing it in contact with the spines on the 

 elyti-a, sets the tip of the abdomen in vibration. By the con- 

 stant rubbing of the spines against the roughened portion the 

 curious sound is made. The spines being directed posteriorly, 

 the sound is produced only when the tip of the abdomen is 

 raised. The sound is therefore intermittent, although it 

 appears continuous because of the rapidity of the vibrations of 

 the abdomen. 



Since both sexes possess these organs, it does not seem prob- 

 able that the sound is used for sexual attraction. This beetle 

 has a pungent, disgusting odor, which possibly makes it dis- 

 tasteful to birds or other enemies. It may be that this sound 

 is used as a note of warning. 



o 



A NEW DLSTRUCTIYE CAPSID. 



ByP. E. Uhler. 

 Dicyphus minimus, n. sp. 



A slender, cylindrical, black, \)o\\shed.,resemh\lng D.Calif ornicus 

 Stal, but ranch smaller and more slendei*. Head much wider than 

 the front of pronotum. highly polished, bald, moderately narrowed 

 at base, front strongly convey, the line bounding it below deeply 

 defined, clypeus prominent; antennae black, slender; the basal joint 

 scarcely as long as the head, whitish at base, second fully twice as long 

 as the basal and almost as thick, third and fourth more slender, the 

 third longer than the others, the fourth nearly of the same length as 

 the second ; rostrum testaceous, piccous at tip, reaching behind the 

 posterior coxae. Pronotum black, a little wider than long, with 

 the calloseties transverse, middle line impressed, pale in less mature 

 specimens, collum narrow, very distinct, testaceous or lemon- 

 yellow, surface transversely wrinkled, more convex of» the posterior 

 lobe, lateral margins distinctly i-eflexed ; sternum, coxae and legs 

 yellowish-white, with the tarsi piceous at tip. Scutellum black, 

 polished, longitudinally carinated, marked with two yellow, triang- 

 ular spots. Hemelytra translucent, pale yellow or testaceous dusky 

 on the inner half throughout, minutely, remotely punctate, the base 

 of cuneus with a large black spot ; merabi'ane dusky, veins and veins 

 of wings blackish. Abdomen greenish, more or less black on the 

 sides and at tip. 



Length to tip of venter (S^l}4, $2 mm., to tip of hemelytra 2% 

 mm- Width of pronotum }4 mm. 



Numerous specimens of both sexes have been sent to me 

 from various parts of Florida. 



