May, 1893.] INSECTS OF THE DEATH VALLEY EXPEDITION. 2G1 



This genus comes near to Metacan thus, but it differs widely therefrom in the vena- 

 tion of the wing covers. It has also close affinities with Parajalysus Dist., from 

 which it differs also in venation, armature, etc. 

 Acanthophysa n. gen. 



Apparently related to HopUnus Stal., hut quite abnormal by reason of the broad 

 fusiform figure, emphasized by the upwardly inflated hemelytra, which appears 

 seiuicoriaceous throughout, terminate in an acute point behind, and have the veins 

 arranged longitudinally like ridges, and which carry series of remote, long, erect 

 spines. Head acutely produced, conforming to the front of the pronotum, and 

 armed each side with a series of long, anteriorly directed, almost procumbent, sharp 

 spines. Rostrum reaching the posterior coxae, the basal joint thick and long; an- 

 tennae long and slender, the basal joint as long as the two following united, clavate 

 at tip, the apical joint short, fusiform, acute at tip. Pronotum subcampanuliform, 

 flattened above, encircled and set with long, oblique spines pointing outward, the 

 middle with a strong transverse section. Scutellum triangular, acute. Hemelytra 

 with rows of long, remote spines on the veins, and fringed with a series on the costal 

 and cubital border all the way to the tip; the discoidal vein closely forked, and the 

 central areole narrow and long, acutely narrowed at tip and crossed by about three 

 veinlets before the tip, veins minutely, remotely 'punctate. Legs long and slender, 

 the femora clavate at tip, and the posterior ones shorter than the abdomen. Venter 

 almost flat, slightly convex. 

 A. echinata n. sp. 



Grayish white, with the legs and antennae wax yellow, and the hemelytra marked 

 with short, fuscous streaks on the coarse veins and a few irregular spots on the 

 disk, bases of the spines mostly fuscous, and the head and pronotum a little fus- 

 cous in spaces; the apical joint of antenna} blackish. Head long and acute, yel- 

 lowish, with a sharp spine above, and others each side, all projecting forward; ros- 

 trum yellowish ; antennae darker on the swollen tip of first joint. Pronotum mod- 

 erately flat, having a dark band in front, the posterior lobe pale yellow, the basal 

 margin almost truncated, with a short spine in the middle pointing backward, all 

 the margins and the humeral angles armed with long, slanting spines, those of the 

 anterior lobe longest and projecting over the head. Scutellum with the central 

 carina and lateral raised margins ivory yellow. Legs banded with fuscous with the 

 apex of the femora greatly swollen, piceous. Hemelytra with the spines chiefly 

 white and directed obliquely outward and backward, the veins, especially on the 

 disk and next the claws, interrupted with pale brown or fuscous membrane, form- 

 ing an almost acuminate tip, having two approximate veinlets running throughout 

 its length. Venter yellowish, spread Avith white, marked with interrupted raised 

 longitudinal lines, a little sprinkled with fuscous, and the entire surface hispid 

 with short bristly spines, the apex infuscated. 



Length to tip of venter, 3-^ mm . ; width of pronotum, f mm . ; width of hemelytra 

 across the middle, l\ mm . 



One specimen, a male, was secured at the Argus Mountains in April, and I have 

 examined two other specimens which were collected near Los Angeles, Calif., by Mr. 

 Coquillett. The costal rib is shai'ply raised, and is protracted to the very tip of the 

 snbeoriaceous corium; and the apexes of this corium are widely separated by a tri- 

 angular interval. 



This most remarkable insect might perhaps be confounded with the prickly seed 

 vessel of some of the sand ticks or beggars' lice which grow in sandy places. 



Although unquestionably a member of the family Benjtidw, it is the most aberrant 

 genus of this group as yet discovered, and it helps to set forth the principle that 

 there is a wide divergence of composition in the adjustment of the parts of the wing- 

 covers in this remarkable group. 



