20 



HARRIS TO HENTZ. 



MILTON, Oct. 14, 1826. 



Your favor of the 8th inst. was very acceptable. As to the 

 new insects I sent you, I should be happy to have you describe 

 them, particularly the Cicindelas, both those species and vari- 

 eties named varians, and the other labelled erythrogaster ; as 

 you have permitted me to describe the Chremastocheilus, it will 

 be no more than a " fair exchange," which you know " is no 

 robbery." Indeed I shall be gratified if you will do it in your 

 own name, merely indicating the place where, and person by 

 whom communicated. On looking over Schonherr's Syno- 

 nyms, I find the name Cicindela varians preoccupied. Schon- 

 herr places the name varians next to sexguttata. It is barely 

 possible my insect may be the same, although it is not prob- 

 able, and therefore I think you may pretty safely describe it as 

 a new species, rejecting, however, the name varians, for which 

 denticulata^ variata, or mutans may be substituted. As you 

 may not have time to compare this species with the sexguttata, 

 I will endeavor to give you the result of my diagnosis. The 

 other beautiful but small Cicindela has not a very appropriate 

 name, and I should wish it changed for two reasons. First ; 

 it is a compound Greek term, and therefore not so strictly 

 proper for a specific appellation, which, according to the best 

 received rules now in vogue, should be in Latin. This rule, 

 however, has not been much regarded. Second ; the inferior 

 is called venter, to which the Greek faa-i^ does not strictly 

 apply. Hcemorrlioidalis is a better name, but perhaps you may 

 select one more appropriate. I have given it the following 

 characters in my notes. 



C. (hccmorrlioidalis) brownish obscure ; elytra with a hu- 

 meral and terminal lunule, an intermediate sigmoid band, and 

 two dots behind the band, white. Abdomen and thigh green, 

 tail sanguineous. Length half an inch. Milton, Mass. 



