PHTTALUS. 175 



I. Antennal joints 3-7 short. 



a. Lower tooth of the claws not much shorter than the upper, at most a little deflexed in 

 the male (sometimes much more so in the female) ; both spurs of the hind tibice t free. 



1. Phy talus olbsoletus. 



Phytalus obsoletus, Blanch. Cat. Coll. Ent. i. p. 131 *; Burmeister, Haadb. der Ent. iv. 2, p. 349 8 . 

 Var. minor. Phytalus Icevigatus, Blanch. 1. c. p. 131 3 . 



Hab. Mexico 123 , Orizaba, Guanajuato, Puebla, Juquila, Chiapas (Salle), Jalapa, 

 Oaxaca, Las Vigas (Hoge) ; Guatemala (Salle), Cerro Zuriil, Las Mercedes, Volcan cle 

 Atitlan, Duenas, Capetillo, Guatemala city, Purula, Panzos (Champion) ; Nioakagua, 

 Chontales (Belt, Janson). 



There are many examples in the Salle collection of both of Blanchard's species, appa- 

 rently correctly named, and after along study of a numerous series of similar individuals 

 from various localities I fail to discover any constant character whereby they may be 

 distinguished. The males of both agree in the highly peculiar form and clothing of 

 the ventral segments, the description of which by Burmeister may be supplemented, as 

 follows : — 



<5 . Venter medio longitudinaliter concavus, densissime fulvo-pilosus ; segmento 5° postice sublobato-producto, 

 6° medio contraeto. Pygidium convexum, sparse punctatum ; margine apicali reflexo, fimbriato. 



In the female the pygidium is very slightly convex and unituberculated near the apex ; 

 the tubercle varies in size and a little in its distance from the apical margin, the largest 

 individuals (labelled P. obsoletus in the Salle collection) having it furthest removed 

 from the margin and more erect. 



In both sexes the spurs of the hind .tibise are freely articulated, long, and pointed. 

 The tarsal claws differ considerably according to sex. In both male and female the 

 base of each claw is very little and very gradually dilated, not dentate ; in the male the 

 apex is cleft, with the lower tooth broader than the upper ; in the female the claw 

 cannot be said to be cleft, but is furcate, the lower and broader tooth being removed 

 nearer to the middle of the claw. In length the species varies from 14 to 21 millim. 



P. obsoletus bears a very close resemblance to Lachnosterna testaceipennis. 



2. Phytalus punctuliceps. 



P. obsoleto similis ; flavo-testaceus, thorace vix rufiore verticeque nigricanti, glaber, nitidus ; differt capite, thorace 

 et scutello regulariter sat dense et eleganter punctulatis ; clypeo semicirculari, perparum reflexo, antice 

 medio sinuato, sutura acuta flexuosa ; tborace transversim quadrato, postice baud angustato nee medio 

 dilatato, ante medium rotundato-angustato, angulis posticis rectis subacutis, margine postico bisinuato ; 

 elytris paullulum grossius subrugulose punctulatis, pectore mediocriter fiavo-birsuto. Ungues omnes S $ 

 basi rotundato-dilatati, apice profunde fissi, dente inferiore paullo grossiore et breviore ; calcaria postica 

 (5 2 elongata, gracili, libera. 



J. Pygidium convexum, glabrum, disperse punctatum, margine apicali incrassato et subtus borizontaliter pro- 



