< o I— ( H < W < cn c 5 ^tS"J U'^..-Qiia.u-.i&vi. 'A '^^K A(/^^.X/)hX<^ /) QL C2C3 Ent. NEW GENERA AND SPECIES OF CALIFORNIAN COLEOPTERA s/ By THOS. L. CASEY, Lt. Eng'rs. 1885 Extr. Bn. i Cal. Acad. Bci. / C^M.^-^' .^r£Cirj;iAH Extr. Bu'l. vol. I Cal. Acad. Sci. CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 283 IfEW GENERA AND SPECIES OF CALIFORNIAN COLEOPTERA. BY THOS. L. CASEY, LT. ENG'ES. Read November leth, 1885. As a member of an expedition wliicli explored several of the northern counties of California during the past summer, opportunity was given me to collect a considerable number of specimens of Coleoptera. Among these several are thought to be of sufficient importance for description in an isolated manner, and the present occasion is also taken to interpolate a few from other portions of the state. The present paper is published with the hope that they may not prove entirely uninteresting to specialists in the several families. It will be observed that by far the greater number of species here brought to notice, belong to the great tribe Aleocharini of the Staphylinidie ; these are all assignable, however, to genera containing but a comparatively small number of species, and in which no confusion can be made by the description of special forms. The great genera Hom- alota, Aleochara, etc., are left for the future consideration of others who must be more experienced in the study of them than the author, and with the hope that this much needed revision will soon be undertaken; the group merits all the attention which can be bestowed upon it, and contains some of the most interesting and elegant forms of the entire family. The genus here described under the name Colusa, appears to have been entirely overlooked, although the species are very striking in appearance and are compara- tively abundant; they live in wet moss at the bottom of ravines in the coast regions of the state. The genus ap- pears to be quite local, and Dr. Sharp has recently described several closely allied genera from various regions of Mexico -and Central America. 8— Issued December 15, 1885. 284 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. In regard to the defects of tlie present system of classifi- eation of the Aleocharini, the remarks which are made under the description of Colusa, are not intended as a final and definite opinion, but are merely the expression of a train of thought brought about by a somewhat extended study of the tarsi of many genera. Beginning with the assumption that the normal tarsus consists of five joints, a series of specimens can be readily formed in which one of these joints becomes gradually smaller and more anchylosed with another until finally no trace of it can be found, giving us a distinctly four-jointed tarsus. The radical difficulty, therefore, in a tarsal nomenclature, is the difficulty in deter- mining whether the tarsus is really five or four- join ted, which difficulty is enormously increased in those genera having finely and densely pubescent tarsi. In the American species of Falagria the amalgamation of the fourth joint with tlie fifth has not become complete, so that the fourth joint is visible as a basal segment of the fifth; whether such a tarsus is to be considered five-jointed, as is done below, or four-jointed as in the books, is a f;dr sample of the ques- tions which must continually arise under such a classifica- tion. The older nomenclature based upon the structure of the trophi is open to the same objection in regard to difficulty of observation, and is even less satisfactory in other respects, and, although it is always easier to see defects in existing methods of classification than to propooe new and better ones, I think it may be said with a considerable probability of truth that a really satisfactory classification of the Aleo- charini is a thing yet to be conceived, and that it may ultimately depend in great measure upon the form and structure of large and important parts of the body. The practice of assigning American species to European genera has perhaps been carried somewhat too far, and in many instances it will pr9bably be found upon closer study that our species so disposed of are decidedly cut of place; this CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 285 is particularly true of these isolated genera of the Aleocharini, and the species placed below in Phytosus and Tachyusa may possibly necessitate the creation of two or more new genera; their present position is assigned them only provis- ionally, and because these genera appear to approximate more closely to the observed characters than any others which have been hitherto described. San Francisco, Nov. 14th, 1885. The species described in the present paper are the follow- ing: Staphylinid^ Falagria occidua laticollis Colusa gracilis u.gen, eximia valida exilis graudicollis Pontomalota opaca Lee. n.gen. californica nigriceps Tachyusa experta linearis laticeps faceta Harfordi Platj'usa souomn; n.geu. Calodera attenuata Ilyobates calif urnicus nigrinus Maseochara californica Oxypoda Insiguis Note. — The Arabic numerals placed of specimens from each resisectively. Phytosus bicolor maritimus Brj^ouomus n.geu. (Philonthi) Orus punctatus Casey Homaliiim fucicola rugipenne Phloeopteriis longipalpus Vellica lougipeuuis n.gen. Lesteva triincata Protinus salebrosus Tkighopterygid^ Actidium robustuliTiu granulosum attenuatum DASCYLLIDiE Euscaphurus saltator n.gen, Ptinid,e Ctenocara occideus LUCANID^ Platycerus calif ornicus SCARAB^ID^ Polyphylla marginata after the various localities indicate the number FALAGRIA Maun. F. occidua i. sp.— Eather slender; body dark brownish-piceous, legs paler, uniformly yellowish-testaceous, antenuEe piceous, basal joint, the tenth partially, and the eleventh testaceous; pabesceace very fine, inoder- 286 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. ately dense, recumbent, more dense on the abdomen toward tip; integu- ments polished. Head moderate, as wide as long, truncate at base; sides parallel for a short distance behind the eyes; basal angles broadly rounded ; base and occiput strongly convex, front nearly flat; punctures very minute, feeble and rather sparse; antennae distinctly longer than the head and pro - thorax together, moderately slender and feebly incrassate, first three joints sub-equal in length, the first slightly more robust, the third conical and more than twice as long as wide, joints four to ten, equal in length, the former distinctly longer than wide, the latter slightly wider than long, eleventh ovoidal, acuminate, slightly thicker than the tenth and as long as the two preceding together. Prothorax widest at one-third its length from the apex, where it is very slightly narrower than long and scarcely as wide as the head; sides strongly convergent antt-i-iorly and strongly arcuate, much less strongly convergent posteriorly and just visibly sinuate; base broa Uy, evenly and rather feebly arcuate, three-fourths as wide as the disk and nearly twice as wide as the apex; basal angles narrowly rounded; disk broadly and strongly declivous and convex along the sides, narrowly de- clivous along the base, feebly canaliculate along the middle, the furrow being narrowly impressed and vanishing toward the apex, not attaining the base; punctuation fine, even and rather sparse. Elytra at base one-third wider than the pronotum; sides parallel and feebly arcuate, more strongly so toward tip; together truncate behind; apical angles very small and slightly pro- duced; disk nearly quadrate, distinctly longer than the prothorax, mod- erately convex, extremely, finely and rather sparsely punctate; punctures not appreciably denser toward the scutellum which is more densely asperate but not channeled. Abdomen at base much wider than the pronotum and slightly narrower than the elytr.i; sides feebly convergent to the apex of the sixth segment and rather strongly arcuate; border strong; three basal segments transversely and deeply impressed, channels very narrow, sparsely and rather more coarsely punctate, remainder finely and rather densely punctate. Legs long and very slender; posterior tarsi long, first joint distinctly longer than the next three together, second slightly shorter than the fifth. Length. 2.2-2.7 mm. California (Gilroj Springs, Sta. Clara Co. 12; Paraiso Springs, Monterey Co. 13). This species may be distinguislied by the feebly canalicu- late pronotum, its slender form, sparse punctuation and form of the prothorax.. F. cavipenriis, Lee. having a feebly sub-sulcate pronotum, has been described from California, but its roughly granulose elytra and habitat, being found on the sea shore, point it out as being aberrant and prob- ably belonging to another genus; I have not, however, been CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 287 able to secure any specimens as yet, and therefore cannot pronounce a definite opinion. F. laticollis n- sp. — Eather robust; body very dark piceous; pronotum and three basal joints of the abdomen paler, dark brown; legs translucent, testaceous; antennse fuscous; integuments polished; piibescence fine and not very dense, cinereous. Head rather large, wider than long; sides behind the eyes short and parallel, arcuate; base broadly truncate; basal angles broadly rounded; occiput rather convex; front very wide, flat; punctures rather coarse, feeble and sparse; antennte much longer than the head and prothorax together, very slender, three basal joints elongate, sub-equa' in length, fourth slightly longer than the succeeding joints, twice as long as wide, tenth very slightly wider than long, eleventh slender, obliquely and gradually acuminate, slightly longer than the two jireceding together. Pro- thorax widest at a little over one-third its length from the apex where it is as wide as the head and one-sixth wider than long; sides convergent and slightly arcuate to the apex which is squarely truncate, and very slightly less strongly convergent and feebly simiate to the base which is broadly and evenly arcuate, four-fifths as wide as the disk and very slightly wider than the apex; basal angles obtuse and distinctly rounded; disk declivous and convex along the sides, broadly and very feebly impressed in the middle from the anterior third nearly to the basal margin where there are two approximate and feeble, eroded impressions which are sometimes sub-confluent; extremely minutely, feebly and very sparsely punctate. Elytra at base one-third wider than the pro- thorax; sides very feebly divergent and feebly arcuate, more strongly so toward the apical angles which are scarcely produced; together broadly truncate behind and feebly sinuate toward the suture; disk very slightly wider than long and about one-third longer than the pronotum, feebly convex, distinctly impressed on the suture toward the base, extremely minutely, evenly and rather sparsely punctate. Abdomen at base much wider than the pronotum and very slightly narrower than the elytra; sides nearly parallel and very feebly arcuate; basal impressions deep and almost entirely impunc- tate, strongly shining, elsewhere very minutely and moderately densely punctate; border strong, inclined. Legs very slender; posterior tarsi mod- erately long, first joint but slightly longer than the next two together and nearly as long as the last three. Length 2.7 mm. California (Gilroy Springs, Sta. Clara Co. 3). The type specimen is a male, the sixth ventral segment being truncate at apax; in the female, which is slightly more robust, this segment is broadly and rather strongly sinuate at tip. The species is very distinct by reason of the pronotal structure, this not being canaliculate and having two small punctures near the base; it is also more strongly transverse 288 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. and with a broader neck than in any other species which I have seen. F. Iceviuscula, Lee. — I have seen eight or ten specimens of this species collected by Mr. W. G. W. Harford, Mr. C. Fuchs and myself in various parts of the middle coast region of California. The prothorax is very strongly canaliculate. COLUSA n. gen. (Aleochariui). Head borne on a narrow neck; inner lobe of the maxillfe hooked at tip and fimbriate internally with short spinules; outer lobe with a narrow por- ous process at tip and also internally a few long robust hairs; first and second joints of the labial palpi equal in diameter, cyliudrical, almost anchylosed, the second the longer, third very thin, three-fourths as long as the first two together, slightly bent; maxillary palpi sleudei*, second joint very slender, much narrower and distinctly shorter than the third, fourth extremely small, subulate, received far within the apex of the third. Gular sutures rather widely separated, convergent posteriorly. Labrum broadly arcuate, apex finely undulated; transverse section of the epistoma broadly augulate. Antenna? long and slender; eyes very broadly oval, finely granulate. Pro- sternum with the antecoxal piece large, three times as wide as long, separated from the sub- and intercoxal piece by a narrow raised margin; the intercoxal piece produced posteriorly as a short but acute spine extending for a short distance over the mesosternum; portion behind the coxte membranous; pos- terior infiexed side pieces large, augulate, extending inward and slightly over the mesosternum. Mesosternum large, transversely impressed behind the narrowly elevated anterior margin but without any appeavanae of a neck, finely carinate in the middle anteriorly; intercoxal process very slender, sep- arating the coXcB for three-fourths their length, very acutely rounded behind and appearing detached from the metasternum, the latter extending beneath it. Anterior coxre contiguous; intermediate narrowly separated. Legs slen- der. Tarsi short, 5-5-5 jointed, first joint of the posterior longer than the second. Pronotum not canaliculate. Abdomen strongly narrowed toward base. The various species of Colusa, with their strongly con- stricted head and very narrow neck, are of a distinctl}^ Fala- grioid type; the statement made above of a five -jointed an- terior tarsus is therefore somewhat surprising; I have, how- ever, carefully verified it by repeated observation of at least six specimens, and in one particular example, where the tarsus was partially detached from the tibia, the basal joint could be very clearly seen, the first four being distinctly de- fined against a bright background and without any indica- CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 289 tion of anchylosis; tliej are about equal in length and together scarcely longer than the fifth. I then examined the anterior tarsus in a series of specimens of Falogria Iceuimcida, Lee , in which the tarsi are very long and slender, differing from the comparatively short and robust ones of Colusa. To my surprise it could be plainly seen, Avhen the tarsus was held in a suitable position, that this also is five- jointed, the fourth joint being very small and anchylosed with the fifth; the suture is very distinct on the upper sur- face, but is not so clear at the side, and if the tarsus were to be detached, mounted in Canada balsam, and viewed later* ally by transmitted light, it would probably be entirely ob- literated. If the European species of Falagria have the anterior tarsi in reality four-jointed, that is if the fourth from the tibia has entirely disappeared by amalgamation, we should have three typical genera, Falagria, Colusa and Autalia, ex- hibiting so close a mutual resemblance as to indicate almost unmistakably descent from a common ancestral type, and having the tarsi 4-5-5, 5-5-5 and 4-4-5-jointed respectively; in other words these genera would be representatives of the three great groups of the tarsal nomenclature. In reasoning upon this we cannot but be persuaded that a system of classification assigning these genera to groups iu which they are placed with others of very different lines of development, is somewhat artificial and delusive. In this special group the tarsi appear to be the organs which are most susceptible to modification by descent, and therefore should not be taken as a basis of systematic division. A classification based upon the form of the head and its attach- ment by a narrow neck or otherwise to the prothorax, would give us two quite natural divisions of the Aleocharas, which might then be subdivided according to modifications of the antennae or of pronotal configuration, and, without claiming that such a system would be better than that now in vogue, it would certainly be more natural, and what is of no little importance, it would be easily observable. 290 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. The character pointed out by LeConte and Horn in the classification, and which consists of a sub-ocular ridge, although probably of more or less value for the separation of genera, would not serve for a general division into sub- groups, because we have genera and species possessing this ridge in all degrees of development, from Falagria, Colusa, etc., where it is entirely absent, through such species as Oxypoda insigms here described, where it is only present as a very feeble ridge and toward the base of the head, being entirely obliterated anteriorly, to Ilyobates and allied genera where the ridge is remarkably strong, entire and very con- spicuous. Another line of thought is opened by the contemplation of this genus. The Stenini, it is well known, are related more closely to the Aleocharini than any other group in one important character, which is the mode of insertion of the antennae upon the front. In the Stenini there is a remark- able character to be seen in the structure of the dorsal seg- ments of the abdomen, this consisting of a transverse ridge which is produced posteriorly at three or four points in ele- vated carinate cusps, and which forms one of the best char- acters for the classification of the species. In Colusa, this identical structure is to be seen, and also in a highly devel- oped state, each dorsal segment having at base a straight transverse ridge from which three long narrow elevated ca- rinte project posteriorly; one of these is central and two, longer than the central one, are lateral and very near the elevated border; these ridges become abruptly very much shorter on the fourth and fifth visible segments, although nearly equal on the three basal ones. This rather remarka- ble coincidence would appear to indicate that in one line of descent the Stenini are very closely related to several form& at present placed in the Aleocharini, and if we simply shor- ten the basal joints of the palpi, we should have types of these organs not unusual in that group. If the genus Neolara, described by Dr. Sharp (Biologia Centrali-Americana I, p. 231) should in reality have five CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 291 joints in tlie anterior tarsus instead of four, it would ap- proach Colusa very closely according to the description, but would differ very decidedly in the structure of the mesoster- num between tlie coxae. These genera are allied especially in the structure of the prosternum. The scutellum in Colusa is composite in structure, the central portion being triangular or parabolic with the sur- face strongly and asperately punctate, the exterior portion being in the form of a trapezoid with the sides nearly straight and convergent posteriorly, having the portion of its surface without the central triangle perfectly smooth and highly polished. This forms a convenient basis of classification, as in some species the triangle extends beyond the trapezoid posteriorly, and in others is entirely included within its limits. Dr. Le Conte has also made use of modifications of the scutellum in his classification of the species of Falagria. The only species which I have seen are Calif ornian, and they appear to be rather numerous, though somewhat closely allied, except grandicolUs, which is quite aberrant in the form of the head, in sculpture and in the very feeble constriction of the abdomen toward the base. They live for the most part in wet moss. The following table will serve to identify the species here described: Head at least as wide as the prothorax; elytral piiuctuation coarse. Central asperate portion of the scutelh^m not passing be- yond the enclosing trapezoid. Elytra 3 having the sides convergent posteriorly, but very slightly longer than the pronotum gracilis. Elytra quadrate, at least one-third longer than the prono- tum eximia. Central portion of scutellum projecting beyond the enclos- ing trapezoid, the projecting portion being deflexed. Size large, 4.2 mm. ; elytral punctuation very dense Valida. Size small, 2,6 mm.; elytral punctuation much more sparse exilis. Head slightly shorter and narrower than the prothorax; elytral punctuation extremely minute and dense grandicollis. 292 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. C. gracilis, n. sp.— Slender; surface polished; black, abdomen slightly paler toward base; legs piceoiis-black, tips of tibiis and tarsi testaceous' tibiae densely clothed with fulvous pubescence toward the apices; antennas Tjlack throughout; pubescence very fine, rather spar e, recumbent. Head slightly longer than wide, nearly semi-circularly rounded at base from ej'e to eye; the latter not prominent; front and occiput rather stroni^ly convex, •even, very minutely and rather sparsely punctate; anteunse slightly longer than the head and prothorax together, very slender, densely clothed with •cinereous pubescence, especially toward tip; basal joint slightly shorter and very slightly wider than the second, the latter three times as long as wide and slightly longer than the third, joints four to ten, sub-equal in length, the former 'twice as long as wide, the latter very slightly longer than wide, eleventh very long and slender, as long as the two preceding together, very obtusely rounded at apex. Prothorax very slightly narrower than the head, •widest at two-fifths its length from the apex where it is distinctly narrower than long; sides strongly convergent to the apex just before which they are very feebly simiate, feebly convergent to the base and nearly straight; biise very broadly and feebly arcuate, five-sixths as wide as the disk and four-fifths wider than the apex; basal angl-s obtuse and very narrowly rounded; disk evenly and moderately convex, finely but strongly margined along the base and sides, vaguely and very feebly eroded trausvei'sely near the base, finely and rather closely punctate; punctures slightly larger than those of the head. Elj'tra at b.ise nearly one-half wiJer than the pronotum; sides feebly but dis- tinctly convergent toward the apices, feebly arcuate, more strongly so pos- teriorly; apex feebly incurvate and strongly trisinuate; disk rather convex, impressed behind the scutellum, very slightly wider than long, coarsely strongly and rather densely punctate near the scutellum, the punctures be- coming much finer and more distant toward the outer apical angles. Abdo- men at ba'-e much narrower than the elytra and scarcely as wide as the pro- notum, widest at the base of the fourth visible segment where it is one-half wider than at base; border strong but not deep; each of the three basal seg- ments extremely closely and coarsely punctate and transverselj'^ impressed at base, and all the segments very minutely and rather spar.sely punctate upon the remainder of the disk; underside minuteiy and sparsely punctate. Legs slender; first joint of the x'osterior tarsi as long as the next two together. Length, 2.7-3.3 mm, California, (Hoopa Val., Humboldt Co. 10; Anderson Yal., Mendocino Co. 1). In the males the terminal ventral segment is triangularly produced and acute at apex, with the sides very feebly sin- uate; in the female this segment is rather broadl}' and evenly rounded behind, the first two joints of the antennse nearly •equal in length, longer than the third, and the pronotum is CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 293 nearly three times as wide at base as at the apex, the elytra being quadrate. The present sj^ecies was found ratlier abundantly in the very wet moss lining the inside of a flume or trough for conveying spring water. C, eximia. u- sp. — Form slender; bla^k, legs piceous-black, tarsi paler, ab- domen scarcely perceptibly paler toward the base, antennae not paler at base; pubescence rather long and coarse, somewhat sparse; integuments polished. Head very slightly longer than wide, nearly as in gracilis; antennte long and very slender, longer than the head and prothorax together, three basal joints flqual in length, tenth distinctly longer than wide, eleventh as long as the two preceding together. Prothorax widest at two-fifths its length from the apex where it is distinctly narrower than the head and distinctly narrower than long; sides strongly convergent and nearly straight to the apex, very feebly convergent and feebly iucnrvate to the base; the latter very broadly and rather strongly arcuate, just visibly narrower than the disk and much more than twice as wide as the apex; disk strongly convex, very finely and si^arsely punctate. Elytra at base one-half wider than the pronotum; sides parallel and feebly arcuate, strongly convergent and arcuate near the apices; topether slightly looger than wide, moderately incurvate posteriorly and insinuate; disk about one-third longer than the pronotum, rather finely and sparsely punctate, especially posteriorly, where the punctures are minute and distant. Abdomen at base about as wide as the pronotum and at the apex of the fourth segment scarcely one-half wider; six'h segment very finely and sparsely punctate, otherwise nearly as in gracilis. Legs very slender; first joint of the posterior tarsi distinctly longer than the next two together claws extremely long and slender. Length 2.8-3.5 mm. California (Gilroy Springs, Sta. Clara Co., 9; Hermitage, Mendocino Co. 1). Described from the male in which the characters are as in gracilis; the female is slightly more robust, the prothorax shorter and broader, the elytra quadrate, the two basal joints of antennae equal in length and distinctly longer than the third, and the sixth ventral segment obtusely rounded behind, and very feebly and minutely sinuate at the imme- diate apex. The species is distinguished from its allies by its line and rather sparse punctuation and coarser and sparser pubescence. 294 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. C. valida, n- sp- — Form rather robust; shining; piceous-black, tips of the dorsal segments, particularly the basal, paler, fuscous, tips of the tibiic and tarsi reddish-testaceous, antennae scarcely perceptibly paler toward base; pubescence vei"y fine, dense, pale fulvo-ciuereous, conspicuous. Head as wide as long, semicircularly rounded behind from eye to eye; occiput strongly convex, veiy minutely evenly and rather densely punctate; antennae not longer than the head andprothorax together, very slender, second joint three- fourths as long as the third which is scarcely as long as the first, remainder nearly as in gracilis, except the eleventh which is distinctly shorter than the two preceding together. Prothcrax widest just perceptibly before the mid- dle where it is very slightly narrower than long; sides very strongly converg- ent anteriorly and nearly straight, very feebly convergent posteriorly and just visibly incurvate; base broadly and very feebly arcuate, very slightly nar- rower than the disk and more than twice as wide as the apex; posterior angles slightly obtiTse and very slightly roundel; disk as wide as the head rather strongly convex, very finely, evenly and densely punctate. Elytra at base one-half wider than the pronotum; sides parallel and feebly arcuate ex- cept near the apices where they become abruptly strongly convergent to the apical angles which are acute; together strongly incurvate pesteriorly and stroDgly trisinuate; disk feebly convex, narrowly impressed on the suture toward the scutellum, a little wider than long, much longer than the pro- thorax, coarsely and extremely densely punctate, much more finely and sparsely so toward the exterior apical angles. Abdomen at base scarcely more than one-half as wide as the elytra, and, at the apex of the fourth seg- ment, one-half wider, otherwise as in gracilis except that the punctuation of the posterior segments is slightly denser; underside coarsely and very densely punctate toward base, more finely and distantly so toward the apex. Legs long and very slender; claws very long and slender; first joint of the posterior tarsi slightly shorter than the next two together. Length 4.2 mm. California (Yountville, Napa Co., 1). This species is the largest of the genus thus far discov- ered; it is easily distinguished from others by its size, more robust form, dense pubescence, very dense elytral punctua- tion, and especially by the very dense punctuation of the underside of the abdomen toward base. The pubescence of the pronotum streams from the middle outwardly and an- teriorly. C. exilis, n- sp. — Form slender; black throughout, tips of tibiae and tarsi dark testaceous; polished; pubescence very fine, rather short and sparse; antennae not paler at base. Head slightly longer than wide; portion behind the eyes slightly longer than in gracilis and more narrowly rounded; occiput very convex, very minutely but distinctly punctate; antennae slightly longer CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 295 than the head and pronotum together, first two joints equal in length, third distinctly shorter, joints five to ten equal in length and slightly shorter than the fourth which is scarcely twice as long as wide, tenth very slightly wider than long, eleventh very slightly longer than the two preceding together, obtusely acuminate at tip. Prothorax widest at two-fifths its length from the apex where it is distinctly na rower than the head and very distinctly narrower than long; sides strongly convergent anteriorly and feebly sinuate near the a^jex, feebly but distinctly convergent posteriorly, and straight; base broadly and evenly arcuate and but very slightly more than twice as wide as the apex; disk moderately convex, extremely minutely and rather sparsely punctate. Elytra at base one-half wider than the pronotum; sides as in eximla; apex very feebly incurvate, trisiuuate; disk very slightly longer than wide, much longer than the pronotum, very feebly impressed on the suture near the scutellum, moderately convex, very finely and rather sparsely punc- tate, more coarsely and closely so toward the suture and base. Abdomen at base nearly two-thirds as wide as the elytra and nearly three-fourths as wide as at the apex of the fourth segment, finely punctate posteriorly; undei'side minutely and very sparstly punctate. Legs very slender; first joint of the posterior tarsi distinctly longer than the next two together, the latter short and equal in length, much shorter than the fourth, fifth very slightly shorter than the first. Length 2.6 mm. California (Gualala River, Mendocino Co., 1). This species is the smallest tlius far observed; it is prob- ably described from a female, the sixth segment being very obtvisely and broadly rounded at the apex with the sides widely divergent and feebly arcuate; the outline is nearly parabolic in shape. It may be distinguished from the others by its small size, very minute and comparatively sparse pronotal punctuation, and by the form of the abdo- men which is less strongly narrowed toward base than in any other here described except grandicollis. C. grandicollis n.sp. — Form rather robust; body black throughout, legs dark reddisfi-testaceous, tarsi scarcely paler; antennas and uneler surface piceous-black, integuments shining; pubescence bright fulvo-ciuereous, fine, very dense and conspicuous. Head about as wide as long, transversely truncate posteriorly; basal angles rounded; sides parallel and feebly arcuate; eyes small, not prominent; occiput moderately convex, very finely and densely punctate; antennie as long as the head and prothorax together, slen- der, basal joints; slender, equal in length and very slightly longer than the third, joints four to ten decreasing very slightly in length, the latter about as wide as long, eleventh scarcely as long as the two preceding together. 296 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. Protliorax widest at slightly more than one-third its length from the apex where it is as wide as long, and slightly wider and longer than the head; sidesstrongly convergent and feebly arcuate anteriorly, very feebly convergent and nearly straight i)osteriorly, base evenly and feebly arcnate thronghout, very slightly narrower than the disk and nearly three times as wide as the apex; basal angles slightly obtuse and distinctly rounded; disk moderately convex, very minutely, evenly and densely x^unctate; in the middle near the base there is a very feeble transverse impression. Elytra at base scarcely one-fifth wider than the pronotuni; sides parallel and very feebly arcuate, strongly convergent near the apices; together as wide as long and distinctly longer than the prothorax, slightly incurvate at apex and trisinuate; disk very feebly impressed ou the suture toward the scutellum, rather depressed, extremely minutelj' and densely punctate; punctures scarcely larger than those of the pronotum and not apparently denser toward the base. Abdomen at base nearly three-fourths as wide as the elytra and about four-tifths as wide as at the apex of the fourth segment; three basal segments very deeply and transversely impressed at base; punctures through- oiat very minute and dense, without trace of coarse punctuation at the bases of the three tirst segments, the middle cariute being almost obsolete; under side slightly alutaceous and very minutely punctate. Legs slender; fir^t joint of the posterior tarsi as long as the next two together; claws very long and slender, much longer than the basal joint of the posterior tarsus, Length 3.2 mm. California (Gilroy Springs, Sta. Clara Co., 1). The first four joints of the anterior tarsus are seen to be equal in length and all clear and distinct, no two of tliem being in the least anchjlosed. The species is remarkably distinct from the four preceding, both in form and in punc- tuation; it is also remarkable for the slight narrowing of the abdomen toward base. PONTOMAIOTA, n. gen. (Aleocharini). Head slightly defiexed, not narrowed toward base; labrum strongly trans- verse, very slightly sinuate anteriorly; mandibles simple; mentum trape- zoidal, large, truncate anteriorly ; ligula short, having at tip two small approximate tuberclt-s. Outer lobe of the maxillae consisting of two lunate members, the inner corneous, the outer membranous; inner lobe having an internal membranous appendage which is finely ciliate within, the remain- der of the lobe being slender and arcuately toothed at tip, the inner edge being finely spinose; maxillary palpi robust, first joint short, second very slightly shorter than the third,, the latter feebly swollen, fourth thin, subulate, affixed obliquely, bulbous at base, and received far within the CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 297 third; labial palpi small, three-jointed, joints cylindrical, decreasing in thickness, last longer than the second and shorter than the first, affixed obliquely; gular sutures distinct, distant, straight and parallel; eyes large, rather finely granulate, not veiy prominent; antennae 11-joitited, strongly geniculate, slightly incra'^sato toward tip, second joint longer than the third. Prostei-num acutely carinate ; mesosteruum narrowly separating the coxae, not carinate. Tibiae terminated by two small, slightly iinequal, spurs, spinulose along the exterior edges and at tip. Tarsi 4-5-5-jointed; first joint of the posterior variable in length; claws small, robiist, feebly arcu- ate. Integuments strongly alutace;)iis. Hind wings rudimeutarj-, consisting of two small thick membranoi^s appendages of a coarse cellular structure. The species of this genus live ou the ocean beach in de- composing seaweed; thej are narrow, depressed, having the sides parallel, the el} tra much shorter than the pronotum, and the abdomen strongly margined with a thick and rather depressed border. Pontomalota bears a somewhat close resemblance at first sight to Phytosus, but is in reality much more closely allied to Homalota, from which it differs in the structure of the maxillary lobes and most decidedly in appearance. The length of the first joint of the posterior tarsi varies greatly in the three species, and cannot be assumed as a generic character. Our three species may be distinguished as follows: Head testaceous. First joint of the posterior tarsi fully two-thirds longer than the second; fourth visible dorsal and sometimes the base of the fifth clouded with castaneous Opaca Head blackish. First joint of the posterior tarsi scarcely longer than the second; abdomen entirely black Californlca First joint of the posterior tarsi about one-third longer than the second; apex of the third, the fourth and the base of the fifth dorsal segments clouded with blackish cas- taneous nigriceps P. Opaca, Lee. Phytosus opacus, Lee. Sm. Misc. Coll. vi., p. 28. — Slender; sides parallel; testaceous, fourth visible dorsal segment of the abdomen clouded with dark castaneous toward the middle of the disk; pubescence fine, short and very sparse, recumbent; integuments not shiuing, very strongly alutaceous, rather sparsely and very feebly punctate. Head sub- orbicular; surface feebly convex. Prouotum slightly wider, a little wider 298 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. than long; sides strongly arcuate and convergent posteriorly; disk mod- erately convex. Elytra conjointly wider than long, much shorter than the pronotum. Abdominal segments not decreasing in width poateriorly. Legs slender. Length 2.8-3.S mm. This species is common on the ocean beach at San Diego, Cal. A figure of the anterior portion of the body is given on the plate. Tlie elytra are, in proportion to the length of the pronotum, longer than in either of the others. P. californica, n- sp. — Form slender; sides parallel; anterior portions of the body dark blackish-piceous, elytra slightly paler, translucent, piceo-tes- taceous, abdomen above and below black; antennte and legs testaceous, translucent, the former very slightly darker toward tip; pubescence verj"^ fine, short and sparse, recumbent; integuments very coarsely and evenly granu- late, abdomen shining and minutely reticulate. Head wider than long, very feebly and coarsely punctate; eyes large, finely granulate, rather prominent; antenute slightly shorter than the head and pronotum together, very slightly thicker toward tip, basal joint slender, not as long the next two together, second slightly longer and more robust than the third, outer joints much wider than long, last as long as wide. Prothorax widest slightly before the middle where it is slightly wider than long and one-third wider than the head; sides evenly and strongly arcuate; base slightly shorter than the apex, two-thirds as wide as the disk, broadly arcuate; apex broadly emarginate; basal angles obtuse and slightly rounded; disk moderately convex, finely, feebly and rather sparsely punctate; having a very feebly impressed dorsal line. Elytra at base slightly narrower than the pronotum; sides rather strongly divergent posteriorly and rather strongly arcuate; together two- thirds wider than long and about three-fourths as long as the pronotum; apex transversely truncate, slightly sinuate in the middle; apical angles acutely produced; disk depressed, impunctate, very slightly wider at apex than the pronotum. Scutellum triangular, as wide as long, darker in color- Abdominal segments long, equal in width to the fifth, slightly narrower than the elytra; border strung, segments transversely impressed at base, de- pressed, shining with an ;^neous lustre, finely, closely and asperately punc- tate. Legs slender, moderate in length. Abdomen beneath tipped with a l^aler reddish tint. Length 2.7-3.5 mm. California (San Francisco, 5.) The abdominal border is deeper and less depressed than in opaca. The pubescence of the abdomen above and beneath is longer and very much closer than upon the re- mainder of the body. The species is very rare on the sea beach near the Cliff House. CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 299 P. nigriceps n- sp. — Form slender; sides parallel; pale yellowish-testa- ceous, head and sometimes the apex of the pronotum dark piceous, elj'tra paler and whiter; cloiided portions of the abdomen reneous in Instre; ante- rior portions strongly alutaceous; abdomen shining, coarsely and evenly asperate, the asperities having a tendency to form transverse rows, espec-ially toward the apices. Head slightly wider than long; eyes elongate, oval; front feebly convex, feebly and sparsely punctate. Prothorax slightly wider and much longer than the head, widest very slightly in advance of the middle, where it is about one-fifth wider than long; sides evenly and rather strongly arcuate; apical angles slightly obtuse, not at all rounded, basal rather broadly rounded; base about four-fifths as wide as the apex, very broadly arcuate' the latter very broadly emargiuate; disk feebly convex. Elytr.i at base slightly wider than the base of the pronotum; sides rather strongly diver- gent posteriorly, moderately arcuate; disk depressed, aboiit one-half wider than long, as wide at the apices as the pronotum, nearly three-fourths as long as the latter; exterior apical angles prolonged and acute, inner angles slightly rounded; each elytron very narrowly margined along the suture. Scu- tellum very small, triangular. Abdomen nearly twice as long as the head, prothorax and elytr.i together, as wide as the latter; sides parallel; fifth dorsal very broadly sinuate at tip, sixth truncate. Legs and antennie pale tastaceous, slender. Anterior coxae large, elongate. Length, 3.3-3.8 mm. California (Santa Cruz, 11). The three species here described agree very closely in general form, but the characters given in the table will serve to distinguish them without trouble. The inflexed sides of the pronotum terminate at about one-fourth the length from the nuterior angles. TACHYUSA Erichs. The following species are placed in this genus, although the anterior tarsi are apparently five-jointed, the fourth joint being small but not anchylosed. They differ from Phloeo- pora, Colodera, etc., in facies, and especially in the tarsal and antennal structure; the first four joints of the hind tarsi decreasing almost .uniformly and very rapidly in length, the first being generally shorter than the next two united; the antennae are very slender. The middle coxfe are very narrowly separated. 9 300 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. T. experta u- sp — Form rather sleader, sides imrallel; body b'ack tlirongliout, legs piceons, tarsi dark rufo-testaceous; autenniB black through- out; integuments polished; pubescence very fine, moderatelj' dense, coarser longer, more erect and more conspicuous, though more sparse, on the abdo- men. Head rather depressed, including the labrum rather longer than wide; sides behind the eyes arcuate and rather strongl}'^ convergent; neck broad; eyes rather large, not prominent, very finely granulated; front nearly flat between the ej^es, excessively minutely and rather sparsely punctate; labrum prominent, wider than long; antennce di-tinctly longer than the head and iDrothorax together; three basal joints slender, slightlj' decreasing in length, joints four to ten equal in length, the former scarcely twice as long as wide, the latter as wide as long, eleventh as long as the two preceding together, slender, acuminate, slightly compressed. Prothorax widest at one- third its length from the apex where it is slightly wider than the head, and slightly wider than long; sides moderately convergent and distinctly arcuate to the apex, and slightly less convergent and nearly straight to the base which is broadly,, evenly and moderately ai-cuate, but slightly narrower than the disk, and distinctly wider than the apex; the latter nearly squarely trun- cate; apical angles strongly obtuse and slightly rounded, basal less stronglj' obtuse and very slightly rounded; disk moderately convex, nearly flat in the middle, finely, evenlj', sub-asperately and rather densely punctate. Scu- tellum ogival, slightly wider than long, densely asperate Elytra at base slightly wider than the pronotum; sides parallel and feeUy arcuate, more strongly so toward the apex; apical angles slightly produced, aciate; together a i long as wide, one-fourth longer than the pronotum, broadly and feebly iacurvate at apex; disk rather depressed, distinctly impressed on the suture near the base, extremely miautely, evenly and rather sparsely punctate; punctures much smaller and sparser than those of the pronotum. Abdomen at base as wide as the pro thorax; sides feebly divergent and straight to the apex of the fifth segment where it is slightly narrower than the elytra; first three or four segments deej)'y and transversely impressed at base, tbe bottom of the impressions being very coarsely and closely punctate, remainder mi- nutely and rather sparsely punctate; border rather narrow, deep and prom- inent; underside very minutely, evenly and rather sparseley punctate; first three segments rather strongly convex longitudinally. Legs and ttrsi mod- erate in length, very slender; first joint of the posterior tarsi much linger than the second, slightly shorter than the next two together; first four joints decreasing nearly u liformly in length; claws extremely slender, moderate in length. Length 3.4 mm. California (Giialala Riv., Mendocino Co., 2). The type is a male, and has the apex of the sixth segment conspicuously bilobed at apex, the notch being triangular in outline, nearly twice as. wide as deep, and rather small in CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 301 proportion to the width of the segment. Each dorsal seg- ment has at base two short lateral carinre from "the trans- verse ridge; the median carina is entirely obsolete. T. linearis u- sp. — Very slender; bodj' black tbroughovit, legs piceoiis, tibiiB toward tip aud tarsi pale testaceous; anteunas fuscous, slightly paler toward base; iategutneuts polished; pubasceace very Hue, moderately deuse, densest on the elytra, more sparse but longer, more erect and coarser on the abdomen, very pale flavo-cinereous. Head as wide as long; sides convergent and arcuate behind the eyes; occiput rather strongly convex, finely, evenly and rather den ely puuctate; antennns slender, slightly longer than the head and prothorax together, second and third joints very slender, equal in length and slightly shorter than the first, fourth scarcely more than one-half as long as the third, longer than wide, tenth slightly wider than long, eleventh as long as the two preceding together, very obtuselj' rounded at tip; front very feebly impressed in the middle between the eyes. Prothorax widest at scarcely one-third its length from the apex where it is slightl}'^ wider than the head and just visib'y wider than long; sides moderately convergent anteriorly aud distinctly arcaate, less convergent posteriorly and nearly straight; base very slightly narrower than the disk and very slightly wider than the apex, broadly and rather strongly arcuate; apex verj' feeblj'' arcaate; basal angles obtuse but not rounded; disk tra jsversely convex anteriorly, narrowly and feebly impressed in the middle posteriorly, very finely aud moderately densely puuctate. Elytra at base distinctly wider than the pronotum; sides jjarallel and feebly arcuate; apical angles slightly produced, acute; together quadrate, slightly incurvate at apex; slightly emarginate at the suture; disk distinctly longer than the pronotum, impressed on the.suture near the scutellum, feebly convex, very finely, feebly, evenly and rather sparsely puuctate; punctures slightly asperate, forming indefinite and broken transverse rows. Abdomen distinctly narrower than the elytra, scarcely wider than the pronotum; sides to the apex of the sixth segment parallel and feebly arcuate; punctures, car- inas and border nearly as in experia. Legs very sleudcr; first foar joints of the jDosterior tarsi decreasing uniformly and r.ipidly in length, first much longer than the second. Length 3.3-3.5 mm. California (Yonntville, Napa Co., 1: Mt. Diablo, 1; Booneville, Mendocino Co., 1). The type is a male; the sixth segment is broadly and moderately bilobed at apex, the notch being triangular, very small in proportion to the size of the segment, and about three times as wide as deep. The species is easily distin- guished from the preceding by its more slender form and by the punctuation, which is about equally dense and strong on the elytra and pronotum. 302 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. T. laticeps n- sp. — Form slender; body rather dark piceoits - brown thriiugliont; legs slightly paler; auteuuiB piceons-black; iutegainf-uts highly polished; pubescence extremely fine end rather spars'^, closely recumbent. Head distinctly wider than long, broadly and squarely truncate at base; sides behind the eyes parallel and slightly arcuate, basal angles slightly rounded;, front and occiput transversely, equally and moderately convex, excessively, minutely and very spars> ly punctate; eyes rather small, not at all prominent;. antenn.'B as long as the head and pronotiim together, first three joints de- creasing uniformly and rather rapidlj' in le'gth, joints four to ten equal iu length, the former slightly longer than wide, the latter slightly wider than long, eleventh as long as the two preceding together, abruptly compressed near the tip. Prothorax widest at about one-third its length from the apirX where it is scarcely percej)tibly wider than the head and sliglitly wider than long; sides strongly convergent and arcuate to the apex, and very feebly con- vergent and rather strongly arcuate to the base; the latter broadly, evenly and strongly arcuate, very slightly narrower than the disk and much wider than the apex; disk rather strongly and tra'isversely convex, extremely feebly and transversely impressed in the middle just before the base, ex- tremely, minutely, evenly and rather sparsely punctate. Elytra at base about one-fourth wider than the prothorax; sides nearly parallel, evenly and distinctly arcuate; together broadly truncate and trisinuate at apex; disk depressed, narrowly impressed on the suture toward the scutellum, quadrate,, nearly one-third longer than the pronotum, Hnely, nearly evenly and sparsely punctate ; punctures larger thun those of the pronotum, feeble and sub- asperate, forming very broken series, giving a slightly imbricated apiDcarance in certain positions. Abdomen at base slightly narrower than the elytra;, sides parallel and straight; first three segments impressed at base, very slightly more coarsely punctate in the impressed areas, elsewhere finely, rather densely and asperately punctate; middle longitudinal caringe obsolete. Legs moderate in length, very slender; posterior tarsi very slender, first joint distinctly longer than the next two together, nearly as long as the last three. Length l.'J mm. California (Paraiso Springs, Monterey Co., 1). The type is a female, the sixth ventral segment being broadly and very evenly rounded behind. It is easily dis- tinguished by its small size, pale color and very elongated basal joint of the posterior tarsi. T. faceta ^- sp. — Very slender; body piceous-black, antennae same, two basal joints paler; legs piceous, extremities of the femora and tibiae paler, tarsi testaceous; integuments polished; pubescence extremely fine, rather dense but not conspicuous except on the abdomen where it is much coarser. Head as long as wide; sides behind the eyes very moderately convergent ani CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 303 sliglitly arcuate; eyes large, very slightly prominent; occiput convex, front flat, both very minutely and rather sparsely punctate; antennae very slender, much longer than the head and pronotura together, two basal joints sub-equal in length, the second slightly more slender, third distinctly shorter, joints four to ten equal in length, the former nearly twice as long as wide, the latter as wide as long, eleventh scarcely as long as the two preceding together, acuminate at tip. Pro thorax widest at one-third its length ■from the apex where it is only slightly wider than the head and distinctly narrower than long; sides rounded and convergent to the apex, and very ieebly convergent and straight to the base, which is evenly and rather strongly •arcuate, distinctly narrower than the disk, and one-third wider than the •apex; the latter truncate; disk strongly convex, narrowly and rather feebly impressed in the middle from the anterior third nearly to the base, finely, •evenly, densely and sub-asperate!j' punctate. Elytra at base slightly wider than the pronotum; sides just perceptiblj' divergent, feebly arcuate, together broadly and feebly emarginate behind; apical angles very slightly produced; ■disk rather feebly convex, very slightly longer than wide, about one-fourth longer than the pronotum, very feebly impressed on the suture near the base, finely, nearly eveuly and sub-asperately punctate; punctures more sparse than those of the pronotum. Abdomen long and slender, at base scarcely us wide us the pronotum; sides very feebly divergent posteriorly, more strongly arcuate near the tip; b a-der narrow but rather deep; first three segments very stiougly and transversely impressed at base; impressed areas very coarsely and densely punctate, elsewhere minutely and rather densely j unc- tate; transverse has d ridges very strong, straight, each having three short posterior carinfe. Legs very slender; tarsi slender, first joint of the posterior as long as the next two together, much longer than the fifth. Length 2.6- 2.9 mm. California (Yountville, Napa Co., 1; San Jose, Sta. Clara -Co., 1). The specimens are apparently females; tlie sixth ventral is broadly rounded at apex; the description is taken from the first named specimen which is the larger; the second differs sliglitly in the form of the prothorax, which is as wide as long, and in which the sides are evenly sinuate through the basal two-thirds; they resemble each other so a,bsolutely in all other characters, however, that there can be very little doubt of their mutual identity. The species is easily distinguished from the others by its very slender form, and by the tricarinate basal ridges of the dorsal seg- ments. 304 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. T. Harfordi u- sp. — ^^Moderately robust; black, antennae very slightly piceous, legs dark piceous, tarsi ' paler, t' staceons; iutegnmeuts shining; pubescence extremely fine, not very dense, loiiger, coarser and more promi- nent on the abdomen. Head orbicular, as wide as long; sides behind the eyes moderately convergent and rather strongly arcuate; occiput and base strouglj' convex, very feebly and rather densely ijunctate; front nearly Hat, finely and rather sparsely ininctate, nearly imp mctate along the middle and between the antenna3; eyes rather large, not prominent; antennae very slen- der, as long as the head, prothorax and one-half the elytra together, basal joint distinctly more robust than, and equal in length to, the second, the latter slightly longer than the third, joints four to ten equal in length, the former scarcely twice as long as wide, the latter scarcely as wide as long, eleventh about as long as the two preceding together. Prothorax widest at one-third its length from the apex where it is as wide as long and distinctly wider than the head; sides rather strongly convergent and arcuate to the apex, and very slightlj- less strongly convergent and feeblj' arcuate to the base; the latter broadly sub-truncate and very feebly arcuate, strongly arcuate n-ar the basal angles which are broadly rounded; basal width three-fourths that of the disk, and slightly greater than the apical; disk strongly convex near the sides, broadly and distinctly impressed in the middle from the apical third to very near the basal margin, where the disk becomes abruptlj' declivous and convex to the ba=al edge; the latter is narrowly margined and continuously so with the sides ; punctuation fine, strongly and acutely asperate, evenly distributed and very dense. Elytra at base very slightly wider than the pronotum; sides nearly parallel, feebly arcuate; together truncate and strongly trisinuate behind; apical angles rather strongly pro- duced, acute; disk scarcely longer than the prothorax, quadrate, rather depressed, feebly impressed near the scutellum, rather fiuely, evenly and not densely punctate; punctures sub-asperate, sparse and feeble near the outer apical angles. Abdomen at base as wide as the xironotum; sides sub-parallel, more strongly arciiate near the apex; punctures fine and rather dense, except in the basal impressions, where they are verj' coarse: middle carin;c obsolete; border strong. Legs slender; posterior tarsi long and slender, first joint much longer than the second but not as long as the next two together, longer than the fifth. Length 2.8-3.0 mm. Califoruia (Sebastopol, Sonoma Co., 10). The sexual characters are very feeble, the sixth ventral segment being rather strongly but very evenly rounded be- hind in the male, and sub-truncate and slightly wider at apex in the female. The elytral punctuation is slightly coarser and distinctly more distant, though a little less, strongly asperate on the elytra than on the pronotum. CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 305 This very distinct species is dedicated with great pleas- ure to Mr. W. Ct. W. Harford, of the California Academy of Sciences. PLATYUSA n- gen. (Aleocharini.) Ligula loug, with two ai^proximate a-id robust processes at tip; paraglossre short, pointed, robust; labial palpi slender, joints snb-equal in length, de- creasing very rapidly in thickness; maxillary palpi very long and slender, third joint nmch longer than the second, fourth joint spiniform or subulate, but not received within the tip of the third; mentum broadly and very feebly emarginate. Antennas very robust, basal joint extremely robust, second and third equal, much more slender, eleventh very large, moderately compressed. Head very short and broad, strongly constricted behind. Prothorax as wide as the elytra at base. Presternum short, strongly and transversely swollen or sub-carinate; mesosternum moderately separating the coxie; process short, truncate at tip; coxal cavities complete; metasternal process on the same level as the mesosternal but having a thick, slightly elevated border. Tarsi 4-5-5-jointeJ; first joint of the posterior elongate. Under surface of the head having a fine but distinct and entire carina under 'and behind the eye. This genus belongs very near Myrmedonia to which I had assigned the specimens as a rather aberrant species. It hoAvever, differs so greatly in general appearance and espec- ially in the structure of the ligula and antenniB, that I do not think it can be placed there wdth any degree of pro- priety. Platj'usa evidently approaches Platonica Sharp, described from Mexico (Biologia Central!- Americana, I, p. 214), but differs from it in the robust basal joint of the antennse, in the structure of the apical processes of the ligula, which are very short and robust, and by the form of the paraglossia which are not attenuated. P. SOnomse n. sp. — Form depressed, robust; dark reddish-testaceous, elytra near the scutellum and toward each exterior apical angle black; abdo- men above piceous-black except toward the base which is reddish-fuscous; beneath piceous with the apical border of each segment paler; pubescence fine, rather long, recumbent and close, except on the abdomen where it is almost entirely absent, and replaced toward tip by a few erect bristles; basal segments each with a single transverse row of long, fine hairs; antennte in- fuscate, slightly paler toward b:ise and at tip. Head very robust, much wider than loug, extremely finely and rather sparsely punctate; eyes riither large, 306 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, very finely granulate, bristling with short setae; antennae nearly as long as the bead, prothorai and elytra together, very robust, basal joint as long as thw next two together, joints four to ten, increasing gradually in width, the the latter nearly twice as wide as long, eleventh slightly constricted toward tip, nearly as long as the three preceding together. Prothorax one-third wider than the head; sides parallel and feebly arcuate; base broadly and strongly arcuate; apex broadly and feebly emarginate; apical angles nar- rowly rounded, basal very broadly so; disk three-fourths wider than long, evenly and feebly convex, extremely finely and sparsely punctate. Elytra at base as wide as the prothortx; sides feebly divergent posteriorly, and nearly straight; together much wider than long and equal in length to the prono- tum; surface depressed, very finely and somewhat asperately punctate. Scu- tellum triangular, strongly transverse. Abdominal segments decreasing in width from the fourth, seventh much narrower, border very strong, deep, rajjidly becoming shallower posteriorly; surface polished, transversely and excessively finely reticulate, impunctate. Under surface of the abdomen finely and densely pubescent, finely but rather sparsely punctate; punctures slightly asperate. Legs rather long; tarsi slender, first joint of the posterior as long as the next two together. Length 4.0-5.0 mm. California (Santa Eosa, Sonoma Co., 4). The specimens indicated were taken while running actively in the crevices of the shaggy bark on a large oak near its junction with the soil; there were many large piceous ants in company with them, but I do not know whether this was otherwise than accidental. CALODERA Mann. C. attenuata n- sp. — Form very slender; body dark testaceous-brown; head piceous; legs testaceous; antennas dark fuscous; integuments shining; pubescence coarse and rather deose, pale flavo-cinereous, conspicuous espec- ially on the antennfe where it is very short and dense. Head orbicular, as wide as long; sides behind the eyes very feebly convergent and strongly arcu- ate; front and occiput evenly and moderately convex, very finely and not densely punctate; antenute much longer than the head and prothorax together, moderately robust, three basal joints decreasing uniformly and very rapidly in length, tbe third scarcely more than one-half as long as the first, conical, and slightly less than twice as long as wide, joints four to ten in- creasing very slightly in length, the former one-third wider than long, the latter one-half wider than long, eleventh as long as the two preceding together, slightly comjiressed toward tip. Prothorax widest at one-fourth its length from the apex where it is scarcely wider than the head and as wide as long; sides strongly rounded thence to the apex, and extremely feebly CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 307 convergent and feeMy incurvate to the base, which is broadly and rather strongly arcuate and but very slightly wider than the apex; the latter broadly and very feebly arcuate; basal angles obtuse and slightly rounded; disk feebly and evenly convex, very minutely, feebly, evenly and not densely punctate, not at all impressed. Elytra at base one-fifth wider than the prothorax; sides parallel and nearly straight; together transversely truncate and very broadly trisinuate at apex; disk slightly longer than wide, one-fourth longer than the pronotum, very depressed, nearly perfectly flat, feeblj' impressed on the suture toward the scutellum, finely margined along the suture, finely, evenly, very feebly and rather densely punctate. Abdomen at base slightly wider than the pronotum and very slightly narrower than the elytra; sides parallel and straight; entire surface granuloso-reticulate; granulation much coarser in the basal impressed areas which are not punct ite, elsewhere in addition finely, feebly, sparsely and sub-asperately punctate; middle carinfe obsolete; lateral very broad. Legs rather short, moderately stout; first foiir joints of the anterior tarsi equal, very short and together much longer than the last; pos- terior tarsi short, first joint slightly shorter than the next two together, fourth very minute. Mesosternal process acute but rather short. Length 2.1 mm. California (Paraiso Springs; Monterey Co., 1; Calistoga, Napa Co., 1). Easily distinguished by its conspicuous pubescence, small size, slender form, and pale color. The infraocular ridge is very feebly developed anteriorly, becoming obsolete pos- teriorly. The type appears to agree quite well with the various descriptions of Calodera. ILYOBATES Kraatz. I. Californicus n. sp — Form moderately robust, depressed; sides parallel; body shining pale ochreous-testaceous throughout, a small indefinite spot near the scutellum and a larger one near each exterior apical angle of the elytra darker, castaneous; abdominal segments slightly pa'er toward tip. Head moderately deflexed, slightly longer than wide, feebly constricted pos- teriorly; front moderately convex, rather coarsely, feebly and closely punc- tate; eyes rather small, moderately prominent, finely granulated; antennae scarcely as long as the head and pronotum together, strongly geniculate, rather strongly incrassate, basal joint much shorter than the next two together, second and third equal in length, the latter more slender and nearly three times as long as wide, fourth quadrate, joints five to ten transverse, the latter two-thirds wider than long, eleventh pointed, ovoidal, slightly longer than the two preceding together. Prothorax slightly wider tlian the head; sides parallel, moderately and nearly evenly arcu ite; posteiior angles obtuse 308 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. but not I'ounded; apex and base broadly, rather strongly and equallj^ arcuite; disk nearly oue-thii'd wider than long, moderately and evenlj'^ convex, ratlier coarsely and closely punctate. Elytra at base aboirt one-fourth wider than the prothorax; sides very feebly divergent posteriorly and very feebly arcu- ate; together very slightly wider than long, truncate posteriorly, feebly sinuate at the sutrare and more strongly so near each exterior angle; disk about one-fourth longer than the pronotuin, feebly convex, very coarsely and rather densely punctate; pnnctui-es somewhat asperate. Abdomen slightly narrower than the elytra; sides parallel; border strong; basal segment very coarsely and densely piinctate, each segment being successively more feebly and sparsely punctate, sixth finely and ver}' sparsely so; underside slightly more finely punctate than the upper. Legs rather long, slender; first joint of the posterior tarsi as long as the next three together. Length 2.9- 3.2 mm. California (Hoopa Yal., Humboldt Co.) I found tins very well-marked species to be gregarious and exceedingly plentiful under the fungous bark of a de- cayed log. The pubescence is fine, rather sparse, and not conspicuous. The mesosternal carina is strong, and is a posterior continuation of the reflexed apical margin. Tlie type is described from the female; in the male the third antenual joint is very much longer than the second. In this genus the head beneath has a very strong infra- ocular ridge, proceeding from the outer posterior angle of each maxillary fissure, to the posterior margin of the head, feebly arcuate and gradually ascending. I. nigrinUS n- sp.— Blacksh-piceous; two basal joints of the antenna?, a small humeral spot extending nearly to ihe scutellum, and legs paler, piceo- testaceous, the apices of the abdominal segments especially beneath are also narrowly paler; pubescence very fine, recumbent, not very dense. Head scarcely longer than wide; front moderately convex, very finely, feebly and sparstly punctate; eyes moderate, having excessively fine, short and erect setae; antennas slightly longer than the head and pronotnm together, rather slender, moderately incrassate; basal joint short, scarcely one-third longer than the second, the latter about equal in length to the third, fourth very slightly longer tli/in wide, joints five to ten transverse, eleventh ovoidal, acuminate, slightly shorter than the three preceding together; labrum more than twice as wide as long, truncate, sides parallel. Prothorax widest slightly before the middle where it is just visibly wider than the head and scarcely one-fourth wider than long; sides rather strongly arcuate anteriorly, feebly sinuate just before the posterior angles which are therefore slightly CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 309^ promiueut, obtuse, scarcely I'ounded, and in the form of wide cusps; base broadly and rather strongly arcuate, very feebly siuiiate near the bas;d angles, about equal in width to the apex which is transversely truncate; disk rather strongly convex, especially anteriorly and laterallj', even, very finely, rather sparselj' and evenly punctate. Elytra at base about one-fifth wider than the pronotum; sides very feebly divergent and almost straight; disk as wide as long, depressed, even, nearly one-third longer than the pro- notum, rather coarsely, moderately densely and deeply punctMte; punctures somewhat asperate. Abdomen much narrower than the elytra; sides sub- parallel and feebly arcuat^, rather finely- and closely punctate; punctures becoming much more sparse toward the apex; border nairow and rather deep. Legs rather long very slender; first joint of the posterior tarsi slightly shorter than the next three together. Length 2.6-2.9 mm. California (Hoopa Yal., Humboldt Co., 8). This species occurs Avitli the preceding but is very much less abundant; I have also received one specimen collected by Mr. C. Fnchs near San Mateo. It is distinguished at once by its very dark color, more slender form, by the much finer punctuation, especially of the head and pronotum, the more slender antennoe, and by the form of the pronotum. MASEOCHARA Sharp. Tithanis Casey. M. californica ^- sp. — Moderately robust; sides parallel; bodj' intense black throughout except the last two segments of the abdomen which are dark fus.ous above and beneath, the base of the penultimate being black; antenn;e black, scarcely paler toward bantinuotis in curvature with those of the prothorax, gradually convergent posteriorly, evenly arcuate; together acutely rounded at tip; disk stronglj' convex, much more coarsely punctate than the pronotum, but slightly less so than the head; punctures moderately dense, rather feeble and somewhat asperate, irregularly but evenly distributed; suteral stria rather distinct, finely impressed, beginning at one-third the length from the base; suture about four limes as long as the prothorax. Under surface much more densely pubescent than the upper; abdomen finely, closely and sub-asper- ately punctate. Legs rather long and s'ender; middle and posterior tarsi very slender and filiform, longer than the femora. Length L4-L7 mm. California (Anderson VaL, Mendocino Co.). Tiiis species is quite common under the bark of decaying logs a.nd appears to be gregarious. It is difficult to discern as it feigns death at first and its color then renders it very- difficult to distinguish from the surrounding powdery refuse of the Scolytides. It has a power of springing even greater in jDroportion to its size than that possessed by the species of Eucinetus. , CiENOCARA Thom. C. OCCidens ii- sp. — Narrowly oval, two-fifths longer than wide; sides strongly declivous; color throughout rather dark brownish-red: integuments polished; p\ibescence coarse, rather long, moderately dense, bright fulvous, conspicuous. Head as wide as long, moderately convex, finely, nearlj'^ evenly and not densely punctate; eyes moderate, rather prominent, very finely gran- ulate, almost divided by a narrow triangular cleft, lower lobe much wider than the upper. Prothorax viewed dorsally widest at the base; sides strongly convergent anteriorly and very feebly arcuate; apex nearly transversely trun- cate; base broadly and moderately angulate, sides straight, one-half wider than the apex; basal angles slightly obtuse and not rounded; disk rather strongly convex in the middle, neaily vertical at the sides, two and one-third times as wide as long, very finely and rather sparsely punctate; punctures round, perforate and with the circumference slightly elevated, slightly more dense along the base; viewed laterally the sides are straight, with the anterior angles very acute and not at all rounded, the basal angles being very obtuse and not rounded. Scutellum very small, as wide as long, ogival, slightly concave, with a few very minute punctures. Elytra at base as wide as the pronotum; sides parallel for two-thirds the length from the base and CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.. 331 feebly arcuate; together broadly and very obtusely rounded behind; disk dis- tinctly longer than wide; sides vertical, strongly convex behind, nearly flat in the middle toward base, finely and sparsely punctate; punctures perforate, slightly larger than those of the pronotum, slightly more dense near the scu- tellum, irregularly distributed; humeral tuberculations strong, narrow; lat- eral lobes not striate; first and second discal stripe beginning at the base, the former terminating very near, the latter twice as far from the apex; the third beginning at a slight distance from the base, immediately under the humeral tuberculations, and continuing for a distance slightly less than one-third the elytral length. Under surface finely and sparsely punctate. Length 1.4 mm. California (Dublin, Alameda Co., 1; Paraiso Springs, Monterey Co., 2). This species is distinguislied from the others by its very small size, clear brownish-red color, and very sparse punctu- ation especially that of the prothorax; it belongs near cal- if ornica. G. calif ornica Lee. — One specimen of this species was found at Yountville, Napa Co. ; it is much larger and more broadly oval than occidcns, black in color with the prothorax decidedly rugulose and very densely punctate; the scutellum is distinctly wider than long, the elytral surface very highly polished, the pubescence more sparse, and the difference between the density of the pronotal and elytral punctuation much more marked. The first and second stride of the elytra are not entire as represented by Dr. LeConte; the first ter- minates very near the apex, and the second at a distance which is much more than twice as great. PLATYCERUS Geoflf. P. caiifornicus n. sp.— Very convex, slightly oval in outline, highly pol- ished; body reddish-brown; legs paler, dark rufous; elytra with a slightly asneous lustre. Head slightly wider than long; occiput moderately convex; punctures very coarse, rounded, deeply impressed, somewhat irregularly but densely distributed; a small space in the middle of the base impunctate; lat- eral tuberculations moderate; labrum strongly transverse, short, very coarsely and densely punctate; mandibles small, the left rather strongly toothed, the right extremely obtusely and obsoletely so; antennas short, slender; basal joint nearly as long as the remainder, second nearly as long as the next two together, much more robust; joints three to seven closely connate; the latter 11 332 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. very slightly wider than long; joints of club equal in width, together dis- tinctly shorter than the preceding six; tenth wider than long, evenly rounded; all three coarsely and rugnlosely punctate toward tip and inwardly. Pro thorax widest at two-thirds its length from the apex where it is two and one-half times as wide as the head and one-half wider than long; sides at this point strongly arcuate, thence moderately convergent and nearly straight to the apex, more strongly convergent to the basal angles which are slightly prom- inent, not at all rounded, and before which the sides are rather deeply sinu- ate; disk coarsely and rather densely punctate very near the sides, elsewhere more finely and very sparsely so, rather strongly convex. Elytra widest at two-thirds their length from the base where they are nearly one-fourth wider than the pronotum and one-third wider than at base; sides rather strongly arcuate posteriorly, strongly convergent toward the apex which conjointly is rather evenly and strongly rounded; disk strongly convex, distinctly striate except very near the sides where the punctures become confused; strife finely punctate with the interspaces much longer than the punctures; intervals strongly convex, very feebly and indistinctly rugulose, each with a single or partially double row of excessively minute punctures along the middle of its crest. Under surface very coarsely punctate, densely so on the abdomen. Length 9.5 mm. California (Eureka, Humboldt Co., 1). The single sjoecimen which was captured in a dusty wagon road, is a female. It is at once distinguishable from any of the others described from North America by its very convex form, partially oval outline, pale color, and very sparse punctuation of the pronotal and elytral disks. Platycerus Agassii Lee. — One male of this species was taken while flying amongst the undergrowth of a dense red- wood forest in the Anderson Valley, Mendocino Co. The described species of Platycerus occurring within the United States may be classified as follows: Sides of prothorax not sinuate at the basal angles quercus Sides of prothorax more or less sinuate at the basal angles. Last joint of the anteunal club strongly transverse. Elytral strire very fine, not at all impressed; punctures fine oregonensis Elytral strias coarse, distinctly impressed; punctures very coarse depressus Last joint of club nearly as long as wide. Elytral intervals unequal in width, coarsely, closely and unevenly punctate; elytra moderately convex Agassii Elytral intervals equal in width, very minutely, sparsely and sub-serially punctate; elytra strongly convex — californicus CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 333 ADDITIONAL NOTES. Among the many extraordinary errors made by Dr. Horn in liis recent synonymical list (Ent. Amer. I, p. 108), there is perhaps none so remarkable as that relating to a species which was described by me nnder the name Notoxus delicatiis, and which is there stated to be a synonym of N. Pilati Laf . N. monodon Fabr., of which N. Pilati is considered a var- iety, is, as well known, a single-banded species, the band crossing the el^^tra slightly behind the middle and being produced forward for a short distance along the suture. The principal distinguishing feature of the variety N. Pilati is, according to La Forte's description, which is before me, the disintegration of this single band into three spots, one sutural and two transversely elongated lateral spots. Again, one of the chief reasons influencing La Ferte in its separa- tion, is the fact that it is a local form, being only found on the small Island of Galveston, in the Gulf of Mexico and off the coast of Texas. On the other hand N. delicatus is not a single-banded species in any sense, but has two distinct and entire transverse bands, the anterior one being in advance of the position occupied by the single band of monodon, and the second between this and the elytral apices. In other words the style or general character of the maculation is of such an entirely different order, that we cannot imagine any mutation from one to the other; N. delicatiis is also much smaller than N. monodon, or its variety Pilati. Another singular error is that concerning Eiimicrus punc- tatiis of the ScydmEenidse, which, according to Dr. Horn, is synonymous with Cholerus Zimmermanni Schaum. I have before me the original description of Schaum of his Scydmce- nus Zimmermanni, and quote the following passages with their equivalents from the description of E. punctatus (Cont. II, p. 86): 334 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. S. Zimmermanni Schaum.— Tho- rax latitudine lougior, ante basin utrinque obsolete bifoveolatus. Co- leoptera in medio thorace dimidio latiora, tota crebre subtiliter punc- tata. Long. I lin. Carolina. E. punctatUS Casey. — (Protho- rax) ; disk not foveate along the base but narrowly and feebly eroded. Ely- tra widest in the middle, where they are nearly twice as wide as the latter (pronotum), coarsely, rather strong- ly and somewhat densely punctate. Length, 1.4 mm. Michigan. It will be readily seen that E. pwictahis is a more robust species than the one described by Schaum, and that the elytral punctuation is probably much finer in the latter: the length, I of a line, is also somewhat greater than 1.4 mill. In E. pundutus there are no basal fovea) as in E. vestalis and Choleriis Zhninermanni, but instead a feebly and irregularly eroded line extending across the pronotum, parallel to and very near the basal margin. These dijBferences alone are sufficient proof that the two species are different and show most conclusively, either that the specimen with which Dr. Horn compared my type was not the true Zimmermanni of Schaum, or that the comparison was very hastily made. The most positive proof of the mutual distinctness of these species, however, is found in the antennal structure. In E. punclatus the antennae are strongly geniculate, precise- ly as in E. vestalis, while as S. Zimmermanni has been placed in Choleras Thorn., characterized by its straight antennae, it is to be presumed that these organs are at least not strongly geniculate in that species. There are many errors similar to these in the synonymi- cal list referred to, which will be corrected at a future time; probably more than two- thirds of the synonyms proposed are incorrect, and will appear most obviously so to those taking sufficient interest to compare the original descrip- tions; a few of these are noted in the present pa]3er under the genus Actidium. II. The word genus, in the present state of entomological science, scarcely admits of " a satisfactory definition, but in CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 335 general terms may be stated to be an aggregate of species possessing in common a character, or a certain assemblage of characters, considered by its author to be of sufficient stability and persistence to distinguish it as an isolated group. I say "considered by its author," because it is this individuality in the opinion of specialists on the one hand, and our imperfect knowledge of nature on the other, which prevent the assignment of a definite weight or value to the characters Avhich have been adopted in the separation of genera as they at present exist; these in many cases have been founded upon comparatively trivial characters, and more or less on the score of convenience. In fact when the Coleoptera have been exhaustively collected, it will proba- bly be found that all genera are more or less arbitrary divis- ions, as species must in many cases be discovered with intermediate characters, of whatever nature these may be, showing a gradual progression from one to another. In short, that there is no such thing in nature as a rigorously limited aggregate of species, is, I believe, a widely accepted opinion; therefore all genera must be more or less artificial and instituted primarily in order to secure a natural and systematic arrangement and succession of the species, and incidentally to enable these to be easily identified. If this be granted there can, in the opinion of the writer, be no valid reason for the rejection of the genus Hemistenus Mots. (Areus Cas.). This is surely an instance where a divis- ion on the score of convenience is greatly to be desired, and is at the same time fairly warrantable from structural con- siderations. That there are a few forms which are interme- diate and as it were connecting links between the genera Stenus and Hemistenus, is, as above indicated, no more than mufet be expected, and even with these intermediate forms (which, however, are not very evident in the American fauna), the two genera are apparently much more definite than a multitude of those which already exist, and which are considered well established, especially many of the Harpalinide genera. 336 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. III. In the table given on page 285 of the present paper the species designated Homalium fucicola should be read //. akjarum, under which name it haa been described on page 316. The name fucicola has been employed by Kraatz for an Icelandic species which, although placed by Gemminger and Harold as a synonym of the Swedish keviusculum Gyll., may nevertheless prove to be a distinct species. IV. Polyphylla marginata is not described at present, further investigation being deemed necessary to establish its validity. EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE. Fig. 1 — Colusa eximia Cas. Fig. 2 — Pontomalota opaca Lee. 2 a —Maxilla and maxillary palpus. 2 b — Ligula and labial palpus. 2 c— Mesosternal process. Fig . 3 — Platyusa sonomce Cas . 3 a — Maxilla and maxillary palpus. 3 b — Ligula and labial palpus. 3 c — Mesosternal process. Fig. 4 — Bryonomus canescens Mann. — Maxilla and maxillary palpus. 4 a — Labial palpus. Fig. 5 — Cafius {Remus) decipiens Lee. — Maxilla and maxillary palpus. 5 a — Labial palpus. Fig. 6 — Phucobius simulator Sharp — Maxilla and maxillary palpus. 6 a — Labial palpus. Fig. 7 — Orus punctatus Cas. — Pronotum. 7 a — Maxilla and maxillary palpus. 7 b — Ligula and labial palpus. 7 c — Antenna and right mandible.* Fig. 8 — Actidium robustulum Cas. Fig. 9 — Actidium granulosum Cas. Fig. 10 — Actidium attenuatum Cas. Fig. 11 — Euscaphurus saltator Caa. — Head and antenna. 11 a — Maxillary palpus. 11 b — Labial palpus. *The left mandible has not been examined. QL Casey, Thomas Lincoln, 584 1857-1925. C2C3 New genera and species Ent. of Calif ornian Coleoptera. 584 C2C3 Ent.