Article beginning on page 68.
Psyche 14:68-69, 1907.

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PSYCHE [August
TWO NEW MYRMECOPHILOUS HISTERIDAE.
BY H. C. FALL, PASADENA, CAL.
SOME two years ago I received from Prof. Cockerel1 a specimen of a minute Hetaerius taken by him at Boulder, Colorado, in the nest of a species of Lasius. Quite recently two more examples have been sent me by Prof. Cockerell, who ex- presses the hope that I may soon describe it, and remarking that he considers it 'one of the sights of Boulder." It is indeed a very interesting and distinct little species, and I take pleasure in complying with the request of its discoverer. Advan- tage is taken of the opportunity to present also a description of a still more remarkable Histeride from California, for which it seems necessary to erect a new genus. HETAERIUS MINIMUS n. sp.
Form of brunnipennis but smaller and of somewhat paler color. Head and
entire upper surface somewhat sparsely, evenly, and very distinctly punctate, each puncture bearing a suberect fulvous hair. Head not obviously concave. Prothorax transverse, sides straight, convergent from the base to the oblique truncation of the anterior angles; lateral portions of the disk divided by a tranverse impression at basal third, the posterior portion more convex, the anterior nearly flat, neither of them appreciably more closely punctured and pubescent than the median area. Elytra a little wider than the prothorax, marginal stria complete, the three distal striae fine, subequal in length, each nearly attaining the elytral apex. Propygidium sparsely finely punctate at base, becoming smooth at apex; pygidium impunctate or nearly so. Prosternum flattened and margined at summit from base two-thirds of distance to apex, the marginal lines sinuate between the come, diverging a little in front of them, and then converging and uniting just behind the subapical trans- verse impression; apical concavity of prosternum nearly horizontal. Femora about two-fifths as wide as long.
Length 1514 mm.
Boulder, Colorado.
Three specimens from nests of "Lasius sp." May 2, and "Lasius americanus" March 23.
This is much smaller than any other known species of the genus in our fauna, but as already stated comes nearest brunnipennis. This latter differs in addition
to size, in its much more remote and less conspicuous punctuation and pubescence, Psiche 14:&70 (1937). hup //psyche nuclub org/14/14-068 html



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concave head, narrow femora, and in the form and length of the flattened area of the prosternum.
MELANETAERIUS new genus.
This name is proposed for a very singular insect which possesses the general structure and form of Hetaeririus, but differs remarkably in its blackish color and densely punctured integuments. The oblique impressed pronotal grooves so char- acteristic of Hetaerius are here wanting, and the elytra are completely devoid of discal striae. The prosternum is broadly flat at summit, the marginal lines diverging from between the coxae to the sharply impressed transverse line which delimits the broad anterior lobe. Front and middle thighs rather slender and subcylindrical, their tibiae narrower than in Hetaerius, with an angulate laminiform dilatation just beyond the middle. Hind thighs rather thick at base, narrowed from base to apex; hind tibiae strongly dilated and flattened, the surface convex on the outer side and concave within. The dilatation of hind tibia begins somewhat abruptly at about the basal fifth, gradually widening to apical fourth, where it terminates in an acute angle, then suddenly narrows to apex. Tarsi short, received in shallow excavations of the inner face of the tibia1 expansions in the front tibiae; in the hind tibiae this groove is deeper and occupies the outer edge from the angle to the apex; in the middle tibia the structure is intermediate in character. In other respects much like Hetaerius. M. INFERNALIS n. sp.
Piceous, legs dark rufous or rufopiceous; upper surface densely punctate and rather dull, subglabrous. Head densely punctate, front concave. Prothorax two- fifths wider than long, sides nearly straight and slightly convergent from base to apex, front angles narrowly impressed and a little reflexed, side margin thickened and elevated, the thickened margin narrowed and interrupted at the middle; just within and opposite the point of interruption a rounded polished setiferous tubercle; disk broadly feebly convex and densely rather coarsely punctate; inner side of the thick- ened margin polished and impunctate. Elytra one-third wider than the thorax and nearly three-fourths as long as wide; widest at the humeri, sides thence slightly convergent and straight to apical third, apex truncate; surface densely rather coarsely punctate, with intermixed finer punctures; these latter sometimes between, some- times within the rather shallow coarser punctures; disk without trace of striae, the marginal stria traceable toward the base; surface nearly glabrous, a few short stiff erect setae near the sides and apex. Propygidium densely punctate and with two



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subapical approximate tubercles; pygidium closely punctured at base, becoming gradually nearly smooth at apex. Body beneath closely punctured in great part, the prosternum very densely so, the abdomen more sparsely. Femora very densely subscribrately punctate and sparsely pubescent. Tibiae more sparsely punctured.
Length 2$ mm., width 12 mm.
Pasadena, California, Dec. 1, 1902.
A single example taken from nest of un-
known ant.
THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA.
PROGRAM OF THE SPECIAL MEETINGS TO BE HELD IN BOSTON DURING THE WEEK OF THE MEETINGS OF THE SEVENTH INTERNATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL CONGRESS. Tuesday, Augu,st 20.
FIELD MEETING.- A special car will leave North Station at 2.15 P. M. for Saugus, where the insectary of the Gypsy Moth Commission will be visited. From
Saugus special trolley cars will take the party through the badly infested region, giving an opportunity to see what is being done towards the extermination of the Gypsy Moth and the Brown Tail Moth.
Wednesday, August 21.
Meeting of the Executive Committee at 9 A. M., at the Harvard Medical School. Thursday, August 22.
Meeting for the presentation of papers and for the transaction of business, 8 P. M., in the rooms of the Boston Society of Natural History. After this meeting a
smoker will be given by the Cambridge Entomological Club.



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