210 CHARLES A. BLAKE. 



Splireroplitlialma gorgon Blake. 



Female. — Black ; head wider than the thorax, subquadrate, posterior angles 

 rounded, thinly clothed with black pubescence, closely punctured, cheeks promi- 

 nent ; eyes round, polished, scape of antennae punctured ; clothed with coarse, 

 black pubescence, mandibles with a tooth before the tip ; thorax short, ovate, 

 closely covered with confluent punctures, clothed with black pubescence, meta- 

 thorax abruptly truncate ; legs black, clothed with black hairs, finely punctured, 

 the intermediate and posterior tibiae armed with spines ; abdomen ovate, basal 

 segment closely punctured, dorsal surface, except anterior margin of second seg- 

 ment, clothed with dense, coarse, dark ferruginous pubescence ; under surface 

 coarsely punctured, ventral segments fringed with black pubescence. Length 

 17 mm. 



Hab. — Texas. Belfrage. 



This species resembles S. orcus Cresson, but may be readily distin- 

 guished by the large subquadrate head, the shorter thorax, and man- 

 dibles being toothed before the tip. 



Sphserophtlialma tisipttone Blake. 



Female. — Nigro-castaneous ; head rounded, a little wider than thorax, coarsely 

 punctured, face very broad, the punctures becoming finer about the insertion of 

 antennae ; eyes small, round ; antennas slightly pruinose, scape finely punctured ; 

 thorax short, narrowed posteriorly, coarsely, confluently punctured ; prothorax 

 fringed with short, erect hairs ; metathorax abruptly truncate, deeply reticulate, 

 bearing a few erect hairs, flanks moderately excavate and smooth ; legs finely 

 punctured, the intermediate and posterior tibiae armed externally with spines, 

 mixed with fuscous hairs ; abdomen elongate ovate ; narrowed to apex, second 

 segment coarsely punctured, its apical margin and remaining segments fringed 

 with golden pubescence ; under side as above, except that the marginal fringes 

 are castaneous. Length 17 mm. 



Hab. — Texas. 



Sphrerophtlialma parmosa n. sp. 



Female. — Black ; head quadrate, posterior angles rounded, slightly wider than 

 the thorax, clothed above with obscure rusty golden pubescence, cheeks beneath 

 the eyes coarsely punctured ; mandibles and scape of antennae black, flagellum 

 nigro-castaneous; thorax short, subtriangular, suddenly narrowed posteriorly; 

 pro- and mesothorox above, clothed with rusty golden pubescence ; metathorax 

 obliquely truncate, coarsely reticulate, sides and beneath closely punctured ; legs 

 black, thinly clothed with black hairs ; femora finely punctured, the interme- 

 diate and posterior tibiae armed with strong spines; abdomen elongate ovate, 

 basal segment small, coarsely punctured, and bearing a few erect black hairs; 

 second segment coarsely punctured, its apical two-thirds and remaining segments 

 clothed with rusty golden pubescence; ventral surface finely punctured, apical 

 margins fringed as above. Length 17 mm. 



Hab. — California. 



Spliteroplitlialiiia venifica n. sp. 



Female.— Castaneous ; head rounded, as wide as the thorax, densely punctured. 

 sparsely clothed with pale golden pubescence, mandibles black at tips ; antennae 



