276 [FEBRUARY; 



? Kirby, Fauna Bor. Am. 97. 



One female from Nebraska and another from Utah. Very similar in appear- 

 ance to the preceding, but the anterior band does not reach the suture, and the 

 posterior band is less close to the apex; the rhinarium in both specimens is 

 black and triangular. 



Kirby describes his species as having a red trapezoidal rhinarium, but as I 

 find great differences in this respect between individuals of other species, I am 

 not inclined to consider this character as of any importance. Kirby's descrip- 

 tions are moreover very faulty and difficult to use, as he has laid undue stress 

 on variable or on universal characters, while the differences in form of the 

 thorax and the extent of its depressed portion are hardly mentioned. 



The description ofN. obscurus Kirby (1. c. 97,) also applies to this 

 species, except that the epipleurae are not " narrower than usual ;" that char- 

 acter would assimilate it with my division (A), but from the want of a descrip- 

 tion of the thorax, it is impossible to place it accurately. 



. 4. N. guttula, niger, thorace obovato, punctulato, lateribus sinuato, dorso 

 subtiliter canaliculato, elytris gutta humerali rufa ; antennarum clava obscure 

 ferruginea, basi nigra, pectore auripiloso, abdomine nigro-pubescente. Long. 

 48 -70. 



Motschulsky, Bull. Mosc. 1845, part 1, 53. 



California, abundant at San Diego, rare at San Francisco; also found at Sitka, 

 according to Motschulsky, whose localities are, however, by no means accurate. 

 The transverse impression of the thorax is very deep; the elytral spot is entirely 

 on the base of the epipleur?E, and is sometimes very indistinct. The anterior 

 tarsi of the male are dilated, and the rhinarium is black and trapezoidal ; in the 

 female the rhinarium is much smaller and triangular; the anus of both sexes is 

 ciliate with j^ellow hairs. 



C. Thorace subcanaliculato, antice transversim impresso, margine lateral! 

 latius depresso. 



a. Thorace glabro. 



5. N. americanus, niger, fronte, thoracis disco, epipleuris elytrorumque 

 fasciis utrinque duabus rubris, antennarum clava ferruginea, pectore flavo- 

 piloso. Long. I'OO 1'35. 



Nicrophorus americanus Oliv. Ins. 10, 6; pi. 1, 3, (1790) ; Enc. Meth. 8, 154. 



Necrophorus graudis Fabr. Ent. Syst. 1, 247, (1^92,) ; Syst. El. 1, 334 ; 

 Herbst, Kafer, 5, 152, tab. 50, 1. 



Middle and Southern States, abundant. Fabricius quotes Olivier, but for some 

 unknown reason does not adopt his specific name. 



The rhinarium in this species is red, and very variable in form ; sometimes it 

 is small and triangular, sometimes very large and trapezoidal. This difference 

 at first appeared to be sexual, but with a larger series of specimens I found 

 that both forms were to be found among the males ; although the variation is 

 very great, yet after a diligent comparison, nothing was found to indicate spe- 

 cific difference. 



6. N. pustulatus, niger, thorace subovali, subtransverso, marginibus 

 punctatis, elytris distinctus punctatis, gutta laterali ad medium, alterisque 

 utrinque duabus versus apicem saturate rubris ; antennarum clava ferruginea, 

 basi picea, pectore flavo-piloso, abdomine griseo-pubescente. Long. '62 85. 



Herschel, Illiger's Magazin, 6, 271, (note.) 



N. hicolon Newman, Ent. Mag. 5, 385. 



Middle, Sourhern and Western States, not common. The rhinarium is red, 

 triangular and moderately large ; the anterior tarsi of the male are strongly 

 dilated. I have one specimen in which the lateral elytral spot is hardly distinct, 

 and the two apical spots entirely wanting. 



7. N. n i g r i t a, niger, thorace ovali, lateribus subsinuatis, marginibus punc- 

 tatis, elytris subtilius punctatis, punctis maioribus 3-seriatis impressis ; anten- 

 narum clava ferruginea basi nigra, pectore nigro-piloso. Long. 75. 



Mannerheim, Bull. Mosc, 1813, p. 251. 



