800 DR. LE CONTE ON PLATYPSYLLID.E. [Nov. 5, 



Want of material for further dissection prevents more accurate in- 

 vestigation in regard to this subject, which, however, is of but small 

 importance.) The antennae are inserted under the edge of the side 

 margin of the head, not far from the hind angles, aud are not much 

 longer than the head ; when retracted they are received in deep 

 marginal grooves on the dorsal surface of the prothorax. 



Mandibles small, flat, subquadrate, with the outer side very much 

 rounded, the inner side deeply crenulate, or rather pectinate, re- 

 sembling those of Gorylophus, as figured by Wollastou ('Ins. Made- 

 rensia'); stipes well developed, corneous, distinctly biarticulated. 



Head nearly semicircular, with acute edge ; cranium very slightly 

 convex, without distinct frontal suture ; occiput slightly prominent, 

 fringed with stout depressed spines, forming a kind of comb, exterior 

 to which, on each side, are long hairs fringing the hind angles ; 

 between the occiput and the front margin of the prothorax is a deep 

 oblique sulcus, forming an obtuse angle at the middle. Labrum in 

 the form of a broad segment of a circle, about four times as wide as 

 long ; when viewed from beneath, the hind margin is seen to be 

 membranous on each side ; there is a deep fovea at the middle ; and 

 the hind angles are somewhat prolonged. Eyes completely wanting. 

 On the upper surface of the cranium, in front of the antenna?, there 

 is seen on each side a large oval surface, the nature of which is 

 unknown to me. 



Prothorax trapezoidal, upper surface very slightly convex ; apex 

 acutely emarginate, side margin deeply grooved from the front 

 angles nearly to the base, where the groove bends inwards, aud be- 

 comes a sinuous line of large punctures parallel with the basal 

 margin ; the anterior part of this groove is used for the reception of 

 the antennae ; the base of the prothorax is obliquely sinuate on each 

 side, broadly and deeply emarginate in front of the scutellum ; the 

 hind angles are rounded, and fringed with long hairs. Prosternum 

 very large, flat, subtriangular, concealing the insertion of the coxae, 

 produced behind into a large, broad process, rounded at tip, and 

 fringed with long hairs ; this process extends over the front part of 

 the mesosternum ; side pieces separated apparently from the pro- 

 notum by suture ; coxal cavities open behind. 



Mesothorax short ; scutellum large aud triangular ; mesosternum 

 obtusely elevated in front, where it is covered by the prosternum, 

 produced behind into a similar broad obtusely rounded process, 

 fringed with long hairs, and projecting in like manner over the front 

 part of the metasternum ; side pieces large, transverse, finely 

 aciculate, not distinctly divided. 



Metathorax short ; metasternum covered in front by the process 

 of the mesosternum, produced behind into a similar process, fringed 

 with long hair, and projecting over the femoral articulation ; side 

 pieces large, transverse, oblique. 



Elytra not longer than the prothorax, truncate, and broadly 

 rounded at tip, slightly imbricate at the suture, entirely without 

 veins, except the usual subsutural one ; epipleurae not separated by 

 a line, but with a series of large punctures along the lateral margin ; 



