270 MEMOIRS ON THE COLEOPTERA 



excessively minute sparse punctulation, the second with the basal 

 series extending beyond basal fourth in the type; pygidium strongly, 

 evenly convex, transverse, broadly rounded apically, the punctures 

 everywhere very sparse but distinct, umbilicate, not as coarse or deep 

 as in texensis and becoming fine and still more remote medio-apically ; 

 basal margin very feebly impressed laterally as a vestige of the female 

 character; legs as usual, the upper or fourth tooth of the anterior 

 tibiae acute and fully half as large as the next. Length (cf ) 23.0 

 mm.; width 10.5 mm. Florida floridanus n. sp. 



It is highly probable that the species described above under the 

 name recurvatus is identical with that which was called truncatus 

 by Mr. Bates in the Biologia; if so, it proves that the pygidium 

 could not have been examined at all, as the coarse punctures are 

 very conspicuous. The description of valgus given by Burmeister 

 shows that he confounded several species under that name, and 

 the forms from the temperate regions of North America are all 

 different from the tropical South American types. The single 

 example from Venezuela before me is closely allied in its general 

 characters to be sure, but is different; the head is notably small 

 as in texensis and Carolina; the form is shorter and stouter, nearly 

 as in floridanus and the pygidium of the female has the basal 

 impressions shallower, more gradually evanescent internally and 

 much more widely separated. At the same time, it must be con- 

 fessed that all these forms are closely allied among themselves 

 and to the typical valgus, and just what may prove to be their 

 exact value can only be determined in the future. Mr. Haldeman 

 described (Proc. Acad. Phila., I, p. 304) a Phileurus castaneus from 

 Alabama. There is no feature mentioned by which it can be dis- 

 tinguished from the typical valgus and it is founded upon an imma- 

 ture specimen, which may or may not have been adventitiously 

 imported into Mobile from South America. I would therefore 

 suggest the dropping of this name, for even if it could be proven 

 beyond doubt to refer to any one of the forms here described, it 

 would be most inappropriate to apply such a name to a beetle 

 having so intense a degree of blackness as these species of Phileurus; 

 it should therefore remain a synonym of valgus, under the general 

 scope of that name. Vilnius Lee., is probably a species distinct 

 from Hiatus and I therefore quote the original description above; 

 the author makes no allusion to Hiatus in describing vitulus, showing 

 that no extraordinary likeness presented itself to his mind, and in 



