AMARIN/E 293 



tually impossible under the Hornian system. I have therefore dis- 

 regarded this character in defining groups. The name Amara 

 would seem to imply that the lack of polished metallic lustre may 

 be prevalent among the European species, but the decided reverse 

 of this is true of our species, a large proportion of which are bril- 

 liantly aeneous. I would suggest three groups for the North Amer- 

 ican fauna as follows : 



Elytral striae not or very feebly and indefinitely punctate 2 



Elytral striae strongly punctate 3 



2 Prosternum of the male with a deep punctiform central fovea, some- 

 what as in Celia calif ornica; body larger, more oblong; elytra with- 

 out an ocellate subscutellar puncture; third antennal joint not cari- 



nate Group I (insignis) 



Prosternum of the male not or very feebly modified; body more fusiform 



and smaller in size Group II (impuncticollis) 



3 Prothorax shorter than in any other species, nearly twice as wide as 

 long; antennae not carinate; elytra without a subscutellar ocellate 

 puncture; hind tibiae of the male still more plentifully pubescent 

 than in the other species Group III (basillaris) 



I 



Group III, founded upon Amara basillaris of Say, differs greatly 

 from the other species of Amara, and the more abundant pubescence 

 of the male hind tibiae, as well as the short prothorax, would seem 

 to indicate a peculiar and isolated type of this genus. The pres- 

 ence of distinct strial punctures is also a marked peculiarity. I 

 have no representative of the species at present; it was said by 

 Horn that Amara marylandica Csy., is nothing more than basillaris, 

 but the whereabouts of the type of marylandica has been unknown 

 to me for many years. The characters given above are taken 

 from Hayward. 



Group I 



The species of this group are few in number and confined to the 

 coast of California and to the neighboring islands, from Sta. Rosa 

 to Guadalupe; so far as known to me they may be described as 

 follows : 



Body more narrowly oblong-oval, aeneous, greenish or bluish in lustre. 2 

 Body stouter, more oval and more convex, the coloration never other 

 than obscure aeneous or bronzed; elytral striae finer, with flatter in- 

 tervals; antennae pale ferrugineo-testaceous 4 



2 Lateral line of ocellate elytral punctures broadly and sharply inter- 

 rupted; antennae piceous except basally. Body oblong-oval, con- 

 vex, shining, black, without obvious metallic lustre, the under sur- 



