340 MEMOIRS ON THE COLEOPTERA 



There are a number of characters distinguishing this species from 

 pulchellus, of which the pronotal sculpture and vestiture and form 

 of the elytral maculation are the most important. 



The forms allied to discoideus Say, differ from the preceding in 

 having the prothorax and elytra bright scarlet in color, instead of 

 tawny-yellow, and in having the large elytral black area, which is 

 somewhat similar in form, more extended, always prolonged along 

 the suture to the black base and in being more expanded behind 

 to the actual edge of the elytra. Discoideus Say, from the Missis- 

 sippi territory, has no black maculation on the prothorax; it was 

 described subsequently by Bland under the name pulchrior, and 

 blandi Csy., is an allied though smaller and much more slender 

 species from Utah. The following is frequently misidentified as 

 discoideus: 



Crossidius sayi n. sp. Elongate, subparallel, moderately convex; 

 head black; antennae evidently longer than the body (cf) or very much 

 shorter (9 ), nearly as in pulchellus, except that the last joint is not so 

 elongate and is more obtuse at tip; prothorax one-half wider than long, 

 subparallel and rounded at the sides, bright red, with two large black 

 spots before the middle, which are generally prolonged obliquely forward, 

 uniting with the black apical margin near the middle point, the basal 

 margin also black; punctures narrowly separated, coarse ( 9 ) or somewhat 

 small but deeper (cf ), the erect pale hairs fine, not obscuring the surface; 

 scutellum triangular, acute, densely and pallidly pubescent; elytra 

 distinctly wider than the prothorax, obtusely rounded at tip, slightly 

 longer in the male, parallel, coarsely, deeply and closely punctate, much 

 less coarsely but still strongly toward apex; legs black, the abdomen and 

 prosternum red, the latter blackish basally in the male. Length (cf ,9 ) 

 10.5-11.2 mm.; width 2.9-3.1 mm. New Mexico. 



Differs from discoideus in the maculation of the prothorax. The 

 following is much larger but may be considered a subspecies of 

 sayi for the present: 



Crossidius bilenticulatus n. subsp. Stouter in form, similar in coloration 

 and in maculation, except that the two ante-median black spots of the 

 pronotum are less anterior and isolated, though obliquely oval, and the 

 punctures less coarse but deeper; antennae (9 ) barely two-thirds as long 

 as the body, much stouter and more flattened and serrulate distally 

 than in the preceding; abdomen and prosternum bright red throughout. 

 Length (9 ) 14.0 mm.; width 4.2 mm. New Mexico. 



The elytral humeri are more rounded and the elytral punctures 

 still denser than in sayi, though there is great similarity elsewhere, 

 except in size and in the antennae. 



