NORTH AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. 33 broailor than long, tenth nearly twice as wide as long, one-half wider tlian the nintii, eleventh nearly as long as the four preceding joints together, twice as wide as the ninth, slightly constricted at the base, wliich is transversely truncate, obliquely conoidal, feebly acnminate at the tip ; labrum twice as wide as long, transversely and very feebly emargiuate at apex, rectangular. Prothorax much wider than long, suddenly and strongly swollen at tlie middle ; sides rather strongly convergent posteriorly and very feebly sinuate ; disk very convex, not punctate, polished ; lateral foveae well developed, impressed, circular, slightly behind the middle, spongy at the bottom ; medial fovea in the form of a very minute, deeply impressed puncture, circular, very near the basal line, bottom not spongy. Elytra at base slightly narrower than the prothorax; sides strongly divergent posteriorly, three fourths longer than the width at base, and rather strongly arcuate ; together transversely truncate behind ; apical angles very slightly produced posteriorly,disk very convex, highly polished ; two longitudinal striae upon each elytron are very distinct. Dorsal segments strongly margined ; surface highly polished, first segment having two short, minute, elevated carinae, which diverge from the extremities of a transverse ciliated patch, nest to the elytra ; first segment as long as the next two together. Last ventral segment having a large, transversely oval impression, distinctly defined, though rather shallow, last dorsal emarginate at tip, emargination evenly rounded, and about three times as wide as deep. Last joint of maxillary palpi nearly as long as the first three together, robust, and finely acuminate. First joint of posterior tarsi rather short, second but slightly longer than the third. General color bright rufous, more or less clouded with castaneous, abdomen much darker, nearly piceous-black. Length 1.4 mm.
Detroit, Michigan (Schwarz).
This fine species appears to belong near ruhicunda. The last ventral segment is very broadly emarginate in the latter, and is narrowly and rather strongl}^ so in the present species. It should, perhaps, come just before triyona in Dr. LeConte's latest tabular arrangement of this genus.
B. iiiopia n. s^j. — Form very robust. Pubescence very short, evenly distributed, recumbent, pale piceo-cinereous, slightly more sparse on the prothoraxand longer on the abdomen. Head as broad across the eyes as long ; inter-antennal carina rather distinct, angulated anteriorly ; immediately behind this there is a very large, transversely oval, somewhat strong and distinctly defined impression ; on a line through tlie middle of the eyes, there are two distinct, rather widely separated, circular, impressed foveae ; interocular surface polished and impunctate ; antennae one-half as long as the body, basal joint very slightly larger than the second, third distinctly longer, much more slender, equal in length to the fifth, fourth distinctly shorter, fourth, sixth, and seventh joints equal, eighth smallest, slightly longer than wide, cylindrical, ninth slightly thicker and more clavate than the eighth, tenth nearly twice as wide as the ninth, as broad as long, eleventh as long as the three i3receding joints together, nearly twice as long as wide, obliquely Published August, 1884. 3
34 TIIOS. L. CASEY.
oonoidal ; labrum very small, twice as wide as long, not emarginate. Protliorax as wide as head ; base very slightly longer than apex ; slightly broader than long ; sides strongly and evenly arcuate ; lateral foveae large and circular, median basal fovea very minute, nearly obsolete ; disk very convex, polished, impunctate. Elytra at base distinctly wider than the prothorax ; sides rather strongly divergent posteriorly, distinctly longer than the width at base, evenly and somewhat strongly arcuate ; together almost transversely truncate behind, sliglitly sinuate in the middle ; disk impunctate, evenly convex ; two distinct, finely impressed striae extend nearly throughout the length on each elytron, one very close to the suture, the others, beginning at the base, slightly nearer the humeri than the suture, are strongly arcuate externally, and approach the suture toward the apices ; suture one-third longer than the width at l)ase ; humeral angles rounded. Abdominal segmentsstrongly, though narrowly margined, impunctate, polished ; strongly convex, tirst segment nearly as long as the remainder together. First joint of the posterior tarsi very short, second much longer than the third. General color rnfo-testaceous, transverse baud at apices of elytra, slightly darker than the remainder of the disk. Length 1.2 mm.
Sand Point, Florida; February (Schwarz).
From tonientosa this species differs by Laving distinct impressions on the head. Tlie first segment has, at the base, two very short feeble distant carinae which are nearly parallel.
CARPOPHILIS.
<_'. ZUlii n. sp. — Form elongated, depressed. Pubescence moderately long, very line, recumbent, sparse, more plentiful toward the borders of the elytra. Color above dark piceo-castaneous, beneath same except the abdomen,legs, oral organs, inflexed sides of the pronotum and antennae which are paler and more rufous. Head broader across the eyes than long ; interocular surface feebly convex, minutely punctulate and rugulose, shining ; labrum deeply cleft, bilobed ; supra-anteunal tuberciilations moderate ; near them there are very feeble impressions in the interocular surface ; eyes small, nearly semicircular ; antennae as long as the prothorax, first joint large, feebly elongated, second shorter, scarcely one-half as wide, suddenly enlarged at its distal extremity, third nearly as long as the second, much less robust, joints four to six much shorter, nearly cylindrical, sub-equal, seventh subglobular, eighth smaller, slightly transverse, joints of club abruptly very large, strongly fiattened, very minutely pubescent; antennal grooves well developed ; extreme tip of maxillary palpi black ; meutum minutely and trapezoidally emarginate. Prothorax one-half wider than long, width at base and apex equal; sides arcuate, sinuate just before the basal angles; anterior angles aiule, posterior nearly right ; disk evenly and very moderately convex, minutely, feebly, and very closely punctulate ; sides finely margined ; lateral borders strongly reflexed. Scutellum large, cordate, acute. Elytra at base as wide as the prothorax ; sides parallel, very feebly arcuate ; together broadly, roundly, an<l ratlier strongly emarginate behind ; suture nearly tliree-fourths longer than the pronotum ; surface feebly convex, finely
NORTH AMERICAN COLEORTERA. 35 and feebly piinctulate ; margin reflexed as in the protliorax, but nuicb more narrowly and acutely. Dorsal surface of tlie last ventral segment having three strong, posteriorly convergent, rounded carinae ; last segment and the posterior two-thirds of the penultimate exposed. Legs short and robust ; terminal joints of tarsi very slender, longer than the preceding joints together. Length 3.1 mm.
Arizona (Morrison).
The reflexed margins of tlie pronotum and elytra render this a very distinct and easily recognized species.
Although T believe the type specimen to be a male, tiiere is no trace of the additional ventral segment of the abdomen mentioned by Dr. Horn in his revision of the Nitidulidce ; however, tiie formation of a new genus seems scarcely warrantable. I see no mention of the very distinct dorsal ridges of the last abdominal segment, in any of the descriptions of the species of Carpophilus in the above-mentioned work.
EPURtEA.
E. papagona n. sp. — Nearly twice as long as wide, moderately convex, piceo-tlavate in color ; pubescence fine, moderate in length, evenly distributed, recumbent, rather sparse. Head much wider than long ; interocular surface very feebly and evenly convex ; labrum twice as wide as long, strongly and acutely emarginate in the middle anteriorly ; eyes moderate in size, nearly semicircular, coarsely granulated; antennae as long as the width of head, third and fourth joints very slender, the former much the longer, fifth much more robust, sixth slightly elongated, seventh sub-globular, eighth very short and transverse, club very large, flattened, nearly one-third as long as the entire antenna. Prothorax twice as wide as long, wider anteriorly than the head ; sides moderately divergent posteriorly and evenly arcuate to a point one-fifth the length from the base, where they become convergent and strongly sinuate ; anterior and posterior angles prominent ; basal margin transverse and nearly straight ; disk feebly and evenly convex, slightly reflexed at the sides. Scutellum much broader than long, triangular. Elytra at base as wide as the prothorax ; sides parallel and feebly arcuate for twothirds their length, then slightly convergent ; each elytron very obtusely rounded behind ; disk rather strongly convex at the sides, feebly and narrowlyreflexed along the exterior edges. Legs moderate, of same color as the body, somewhat slender ; last joint of the posterior tarsi as long as the first two together. The prosternura is depressed behind the coxae, and prolonged backward in a spatula-like process, which is wider than long and ciliate posteriorly. The punctures of the entire dorsal surface of the body are rather close, circular, clearly defined but very shallow, variolate ; the puncturesareuniformlysetigerous. Length2.5-2.8mm.
Arizona (Morrison).
The sides of the pronotum are convergent and sinuate near the basal angles to an unusual degree.
30 THOS. L. CASEY.
E\\EARTIIRO\.
E. califOl'UiCUm n. sp. Male. — Form elongated, nearly cylindrical, sides parallel. J'ube.scence excessively short, erect, rather sparse, evenly distrihuted ; pale piceo-Uavate in color. Head moderate, trapezoidal, distinctlywider than long ; clypeus strongly retlexed anteriorly and distinctly eraarginate ; interocular surface impunctate, having in the middle a small feeble tuberculation ; eyes small, very prominent, more convex posteriorly ; antennae as long as the width of prothorax, pale piceo-fiavate, first joint robust, oval, second slightly smaller, third much narrower and longer, nearly as long as the next three together, club large, loose, joints of equal width, increasing in length, last joint strongly flattened ; labrum small, very pale, not emarginate. Prothorax very slightly longer than wide, much narrower anteriorly than posteriorly, very slightly constricted behind ; sides evenly arcuate ; base broadly and feebly arcuate ; anterior angles very broadly rounded, posterior right; disk very convex, prolonged anteriorly in a very thin process, more than three times as wide as long, which is strongly and roundly emarginate anteriorly, giving the appearance of two short rounded teeth ; entire pronotum minutely, distinctly, closely, and very evenly punctate. J?cutellum small, wider than long, triangular. Elytra at base very slightly narrower than the prothorax ; humeral angles well developed ; sides parallel and feebly arcuate ; together three-fourths longer than the pronotum, very evenly rounded behind ; disk very convex, uniformly, feebly, closely, and rather confusedly rugulose. Legs short and robust. Body above and below uniformly of a very dark blackish-castaneous ; legs, gula, npper surfaceof head pale reddish-testaceous.
Female. — Clypeus evenly rounded anteriorly, very feebly reflexed ; surface of head feebly and very minutely punctulate, without the tubercle of the male, and, in its place, a very feeble impression. Prothorax without the anterior corniform prolongation, evenly arcuate anteriorly, distinctly longer than wide. Elytra at base as wide or just perceptibly wider than the prothorax. Otherwise nearly as in the male. Length l.U-l.S mm. Tliis species appears to be di-stinct from the Cis vituhts of Mannerlieim. Tlie following is the descri[)tion of that species as given by liini in the Bulletin of Moscow: — "O's vituhts: Oblongus, fusco-piceus, punctulatus, pube brevissima ri,L'i*la adspersus, capite excavato, margine antico quadridentato, tlioraee a[)ice cornubus duobus antrorsuni porrectis arniato, antennis pedibustpie rufo-testaceis.
" Long IJ lin., lat. f lin. California."
It will be seen, if we analyze this very abbreviated diagnosis, that the only characters which are of any positive value, differ very greatly from the corresponding ones in the insect under consideration. The color of ^Mannerheim's species appears to be much paler, and lie describes it as oblong, while coh'fornicum is decidedly elongated.
NORTH AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. 37 The words, " thorace apice cornnhns dnohus antrorsii.7n pori-ectis armato,^' convey the idea that there are two distinct horns, similar to those observed in Ceracis, while, as can be seen from tlie description, this process in californicum is rather a thin, transverse, semierect lamina, which is deeply emarginate at the apex and very short. The length of Cis vituJus is given as twice the width, while in the present species the length is two and three-fourths times the breadth. Finally, and especially the head being 4-dentate anteriorly in Mannerheim's insect, leads me to believe that it may even belong to a different genus. We are, therefore, seemingly brought to the conclusion, that, if the description of that author is of any value at all, it must be that of some other species than the one described above. The species seems to resemble E. Mellyi of Mellie ; it is, however, much larger, and differs in many minor characters.
It occurs in California, and is found abundantly in the parasitic fungus of the laurel.
E. llliicolor n. sp. Male. — Form rather elongated, cylindrical, sides parallel. Pubescence excessively short, rather sparse, erect, evenly distributed, somewhat pale and scarcely visible. Head wider than long ; interocular surface concave ; anterior margin strongly reflexed into a position nearly perjiendicnlar to the interocular surface ; anterior edge somewhat angularly and rather strongly emarginate ; labrum very small, nearly as long as wide, rounded in front. Prothorax slightly broader than long, very feebly constricted at the base ; sides evenly arcuate ; anterior angles almost obsolete, posterior right ; base very broadly, feebly, and evenly arcuate ; disk very convex, very minutely reticulated, finely, distinctly, and very evenly punctate ; anterior portion prolonged in a process nearly as long as wide, so deeply cleft anteriorly as to give rise to two divergent horns of circularcross-section, slightly rounded at tip, and nearly twice as long as broad at base. Scutellum slightly wider than long, triangular, sides feebly arcuate. Elytra at base as wide as the prothorax ; sides parallel and very feebly arcuate ; together nearly twice as long as the pronotum, exclusive of the horns ; broadly rounded behind, more acutely so at the immediate apex ; disk very finely punctulate, and, in addition, confusedly and feebly rugulose, polished. Legs very short and robust ; last joint of anterior tarsi twice as long as the preceding Joints together. Antennae very short, scarcely as long as the width of head, club large, first joint distinctly larger than the second, third as long as the next two together, fourth, fifth, and sixth joints nearly globular, very small, fifth slightly the largest, seventh and eighth joints much broader than long, last nearly as long as wide and flattened. Entire body piceous-black, legs very dark rufo-piceous, antennae and oral organs piceo-testaceous, club of antennae slightly darker, central portions of gula of a slightly more reddish tint than the legs. The first ventral segment bears in the middle, what appears to be a very minute ciliated tuberculation. The tibiae are not dentate outwardly at the tip, but are provided with a row of very short, robust spines of a much paler tint. Length 1.3 mm.
38 TIIOS. L. CASEY.
Willets Point, Long Island ; three specimens % .
The female is unknown. The specimens were found in the lamellar parasitic fungus, growing upon the bark of an old chestnut log in a thick wood. The species is very distinct, and does not satisfy any description which is accessible to me ; I therefore feel warranted in describing it as new. The abdominal segments are almost exactly equal in length.
LACHXOSTERXA.
Ij. sil1>pi'Uiiiosa 11. sp. — Form moderately elongated and depressed, about twice as long as wide. Color fuscous, slightly paler beneath, elytra slightly paler than the pronotum, and having a very feebly prninose appearance. Head twice as wide as long, punctures rather evenly distributed, separated by slightly more than their own diameters ; epistoma broadly and feebly bilobed, episternal suture distinct and broadly bisinuate ; club of antennae in its greatest dimension longer than the entire preceding portion. Prothorax slightly more than three-fourths wider than long, glabrous, fully one-half wider at base than at apex ; sides strongly divergent and nearly straight to the middle, then parallel and feebly sinuate to the posterior angles ; anterior and posterior angles acute ; apex transverse and feebly undulated, base broadly and feebly arcuate; disk rather strongly convex; narrowly margined along the sides and anterior edge, not margined posteriorly; punctures very small, impressed, rather evenly distributed, generally separated by more than twice their own widths. Scutellum wider tliau long, parabolic. Elytra at base very slightly wider than the prothorax ; sides very slightly divergent and very feebly arcuate for three-fourths the length from the humeri ; disk two and one-half times as long as the head and prothoraxtogether,nearlyone-halflongerthanwide,veryabruptlyandobtusely rounded behind ; very narrowly margined at the sides, border becoming extinct posteriorly ; surface finely and irregularly punctured, punctures impressed, setigerous, and separated by from one to five times their own widths ; longitudinally costate along the suture, more strongly so posteriorly ; each elytron has in addition several very feeble, narrow, and indefinite suboblique or longitudinal costae. Legs rather long ; posterior tarsi much longer than the tibiae, first and fourth joints shortest, nearly equal in length. Pygidinui nuuh broader than long, irregularly and finely punctate. Length 14..') mm.
Atlantic States.
Tlio male has a rather feeble impression on the last ventral segment, which extends to a part of the penultimate. The pubescence of the mesosternum is long and dense. The species bears a remote resemblance to mirans Lee, but is much less elongated, paler in color, and much less pruinose.
Li. fusca (FriJld) — CMvat and apparently unnecessary confusion exists in regard to this and closely allied species, and I find at least
NORTH AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. 39 five forms united under tliis name in my cabinet. It is somewhat difficult to decide upon characters which are specific and not sexual, and since the antennae ditter so greatly with sex, we are comfielled to throw out this organ, generally so valuable for purposes of classification. If we examine attentively the males and females of a very well-marked species, in which there can be no suspicion of mixture, we find that the claws of the tarsi do not vaiy with sex, as can be observed in ilicis (Knoch) ; also that, if we imagine a tangent line to be drawn to the curve of the epistomal edge at the points where this line meets the eyes, the degree of convergence of these tangent lines is almost exactly constant for the same species, irrespective of sex; other characters wliich are almost constant are the proportional lengths of the palpular joints, the punctuation and sculpture of the body, and the shape of the pygidium. With these premises we can formulate the following differences for a few distinct species which have been combined under the name indicated above.
L.. auxia Lee. — This is distinct by reason of the peculiar formation of the ejtistoma, the above-mentioned tangents being parallel ; the pygidinm is very short in proportion to its width ; the sculptni e is coarse and rough ; the inner tooth of the ungues is very long and strong, nearly equal to the remainder of the claw.
li. Drakei Kirb. — Body very robust, rather depressed : sculpture very even, fine; general appearance smooth. The tangent lines of the clypeus mutually make a very obtuse angle, and the epistoma anteriorly, instead of being broadly sinuate, is notched in the form of an acute cusp, and is more properly bilobed. This is a distinct species in facies. li. coiisiiuilis Lee. — The facies of this species is different from that of fiisca, being much more elongate ; the sculpture is smoother and finer ; the epistomal tangent lines make a very obtuse angle, meeting at a distance in front of the elypeus scarcely greater than the length of the head. Li. fusca (Frtihl). — The sculpture is rough and uneven, more so than in any other of this group, except anxia; the claws are also very diflerent from those of the three preceding forms, the inner tooth being very small and the remainder of the claw projecting very far beyond it, and with a less arcuate curve ; the whole claw is also more slender. The epistomal tangents intersect at a distance from the anterior margin about equal to the length of the head and prothorax together.
The series of specimens of these species which are before me are scarcely large enough to enable me to define the species properly, but enough has been mentioned to show that the various forms should not be combined until a series can be formed, showing unmistakably a gradual progression from one species to another, in all characters
40 TIIOS. L, CASE-J.
jtointed out above to be of systematic importance. Besides tb.e differences noted above, there are variations to be observed in tl)e length of the antennal club in the males, and in the structure of the labial and maxillary palpi.
There is anotlier form in which the sculpture is much smoother than in fnsca, and which differs from that species in the much narrower and more feebly toothed anterior tibiae ; also in the smaller inner spine of that member.
EURYItlETOPOX.
E. piceiim n. sp. — Form moderately elongated, very convex, sides nearly parallel ; setae of elytra so fine and sparse as to be scarcel3- discernible. Body above and beneath rather pale rufo-piceous, elytra slightly paler than the head and protliorax. Head much broader than long ; anterior margin very broadly and evenly arcuate ; interocular surface rather convex posteriorly, then rapidly declivous to within one-third the length of the anterior margin, where it becomes nearly plane and feebly declivous ; very coarsely, rather closely and unevenly punctate, punctures round and variolate ; supra-ocular longitudinal ridges very acute and distinct ; antennae as long as the width of protliorax, second joint slightly more than one-half as long as the third, third and fourtli narrower and equal in length, remaining joints nearly equal in length, last three Hattened and slightly broader. Prothorax four-lifths broader than long ; base very broadly and just j>erceptibly angulate posteriorly, just visibly longer than the apex ; the latter transverse and straight in the middle, slightly sinuate near the apical angles, slightly longer than tlie width of head ; sides most strongly arcuate just in advance of the middle, nearly straight near the basal angles, much more convergent near the anterior angles ; disk very convex, narrowly margined at the sides, margined along the base, border becoming much narrower toward the basal angles ; coarsely and very irregularly punctate ; near the sides the punctures are very large, somewhat conHueut, shallow, and variolate, in the middle they are very much smaller, round, rather deeply impressed, and very sparse. Scutellum very small, sides at first divergent posteriorly, then very broadly angulate behind. Elytra at base as wide as the pronotum ; sides just perceptiblydivergent and feebly arcuate for three-fourths the length ; disk somewhat acutely rounded behind, three times as long as the protliorax, very convex, evenly punctate, punctures round, shallow and variolate, small, and separated generally by three to four times their own widths ; toward the sides, and more especially toward the humeri, the punctures become much larger and closer ; the entire surface is also excessively feebly and transversely rugulose. Under surface of the abdomen very sparsely and minutely punctulale toward the base, much more strongly, coarsely, and closely so on the last segment. Legs moderate ; tarsi long, posterior femora rather rapidly narrowed toward the coxae ; first joint of the posterior tarsi equal in length to the next two together, distinctly shorter than tlie fourth. Prosternum deeply and irregularly pitted. Length 6.2 mm.