ClCINDELID^ AND CARABID/E 93 



Promecognathus Chaud. 



This genus is singularly out of position in the Munich catalogue 

 near Broscus; the mes-epimera broadly attain the middle coxae and 

 this, together with certain habital features, show that it should 

 not be far removed from Pasimachus and Scarites. There are few 

 genera in which the errors of the eye in comparative measurements 

 are so patent as here; for example, in most of the species it would be 

 stated with great certainty that the prothorax is longer than wide, 

 and, when this condition obtains, I will state '"apparently longer 

 than wide " ; but, when we come to make accurate measurements by 

 scale, it is seen that not only is this part not actually longer than 

 wide but generally quite the reverse. There are two divisions of the 

 genus as follows: , 



Elytra elongate-oval, the epipleura rather gradually and moderately 

 dilated at base 2 



Elytra more abbreviated, the epipleura more rapidly and broadly ex- 

 panded at base 3 



2 Mandibles longer, straight, becoming decidedly arcuate only rather 

 beyond the middle; body deep black, polished; antennae rather short; 

 prothorax sinuously narrowed basally and apparently much longer 

 than wide; elytra evenly oval, a third wider than the prothorax, 

 nearly one-half longer than wide. Length (excluding mandibles 

 in all cases) 9.0-11.0 mm.; width 3.2-4.0 mm. California (coast 

 regions near San Francisco). Very abundant and varying con- 

 siderably in size laevissimus Dej. 



Mandibles shorter, almost evenly arcuate from near the base to the apex; 

 body much smaller and distinctly more slender, piceo-rufous; 

 head relatively narrower; antennae still shorter; prothorax slender, 

 actually longer than wide; elytra more elongate, without trace of 

 striation. Length 8.0 mm.; width 2.5 mm. California (Sta. Cruz). 



debilis Csy. 



3 Prothorax apparently longer than wide; head distinctly narrower than 

 the prothorax 4 



Prothorax apparently as wide as long, actually much wider than long; 

 head very large, barely narrower than the prothorax 6 



4 Mandibles smaller, short, not as long as the head, the latter much 

 narrower than the prothorax, which is much expanded anteriorly, 

 broadly and feebly impressed at the sides of the base, the latter 

 parallel and straight for some distance as usual; base truncate, 

 three-fifths the maximum width, the angles right and sharp; elytra 

 almost one-half wider than the prothorax, oval, with rather distinct 

 though rounded humeri, not quite one-half longer than wide, with 

 fine and feeble, finely punctulate striae, obsolete except inwardly; 

 base of the epipleura a fifth wider than the diameter of the middle 

 coxae; male with a feeble close-set brush of hair internally toward 



