2o6 MEMOIRS ON THE COLEOPTERA 



for many years, but on referring to the original description (Lee. 

 Mon., p. 49), I find that there are certain disagreements. The 

 anterior tibise of repletus are said to be 5-dentate and this is borne 

 out by the figure given on Plate II; the size, as indicated alongside 

 the figure, should also be noted 7 mm. Dr. Horn (Mon., p. 288) 

 makes repletus a synonym of ccenosus Er., and, finally, it appears in 

 the Henshaw list as a valid species next to Hister harrisi, where 

 indeed it was placed originally by LeConte. It is probable that 

 it was originally described from a series containing a mixture of 

 various species and so the resulting diagnosis and figures are in- 

 decisive; it is possible, also, that it may not even be an American 

 species, for Omalodes borealis, said in the same work to be from 

 Long Island, proves to be a Brazilian species. No definite species 

 can therefore be determined as repletus, except by purely arbitrary 

 action, and it should be dropped as having a nomen nudum. 



Hister Linn. 

 Subgenus Spilodiscus Lewis 



Disregarding the various groups, among which our species having 

 red elytra, with a large black spot medially at base, were distributed 

 by the Hornian arrangement, Mr. Lewis has suggested they be 

 brought together to form a subgenus by themselves. When we 

 consider how species similar in general habitus are frequently widely 

 separated by the characters assumed as the basis of that arrange- 

 ment, though very convenient in the identification of species, I 

 presume that the suggestion of Mr. Lewis is as good as any that 

 could be offered; at any rate it gives a simpler arrangement and is 

 correct taxon'omically. We have a large number of species be- 

 longing to this subgenus, only a part of which are yet described, 

 and I now add a few new forms in the subjoined table. The large 

 terminal tooth of the anterior tibise is always estimated as a 

 single tooth, even when broadly bifid. 



Anterior tibiae bidentate; prothorax ciliate at the sides, the two lateral 

 thoracic striae entire 2 



Anterior tibiae tridentate; prothorax not ciliate; outer stria apical only. . n 



Anterior tibiae having no external tooth except the apical; prothorax not 

 ciliate 12 



Anterior tibiae with a series of about five small subspiniform external 

 teeth; prothorax not ciliate 13 



