Coleopterological Notices, VII. 505 



apex broadly rounded, the base transverse and feebly bisinuate; 

 basal angles right, not rounded ; marginal bead fine and serially 

 punctulate ; surface evenly and strongly convex, feebly subex- 

 planate near the hind angles. Scutellum large, more than twice 

 as wide as long, broadly rounded behind. Elytra nearly f longer 

 than wide, barely as wide as the prothorax, slightly narrowed be- 

 hind the middle, the apex subtruncate ; side margins toward base 

 very acute, the humeral angles denticulate ; subhumeral impres- 

 sion completely obsolete ; each elytron with a single large circu- 

 lar fovea at the middle of its basal margin, the fovea densely 

 spongy-pubescent ; suture not modified. Legs short, the femora 

 rather distinctly clavate. Length 0.9 mm.; width 0.4 mm. 



California (Marin Co.). A very small species, apparently 

 local in habitat and readily identifiable by the absence of eyes and 

 peculiarities of elytral structure. It is represented before me by 

 three specimens. Secondary sexual characters are not evident. 



This species is somewhat related to the European minimum, 

 but is larger and differs in its more depressed basal parts of the 

 elytra, with much more extended acute side margins in continua- 

 tion of the sides of the prothorax. 



ASCYDMINI. 



The single species, for which it appears to be necessary to pro- 

 pose a distinct tribal group, is not distinguished by any great sin- 

 gularity of habitus, but the palpal differences prevent it from 

 joining either the Cephenniini or Eutheiini, to the latter of which 

 it is probably most closely allied. 



ASCYDMUS n. gen. 



The maxillary palpi in this genus have a form which appears to 

 be unique in the family, although somewhat remindful of the Chev- 

 rolatiini, the third joint being oval in outline with its apex ob- 

 liquely truncate, the truncature being perfectly flat, spongiose in 

 structure and beset with numerous very short stiff and erect setae; 

 the fourth joint is wholly obsolete, its function probably being 

 performed by the terminal setose sensitive surface described. 

 Aside from this, there seems to be nothing very peculiar about 

 the tj'^pe, although certain special structures, present also in Ceph- 

 ennium, Eutheia and Scydmsenus, sufficiently prove its synthetic 

 nature. There is, for example, a rounded and subimpressed, scab- 



