288 ' [February, 



and the pygidium perpendicular. The species are, numerous and vary in form 

 from almost globular to tolerably strongly depressed. 



A synoptic table may be thus constructed : 



A. Corpus globosum, pygidio inflexo. Abr^us. 

 1. rufus, elytris valde aciculatis, linea basali hamata insculptis punctiformis. 

 B. Pygidium perpendiculariter deflexum. Acritus. 

 a. Thorax basi marginatus. 



* Pygidium laeve, (corpore rotundato.) 



1. minus convexus, niger, elytris subtilius punctulatis et acicu- 



latis, .......... discus. 



2. valde convexus, niger, elytris punctatis, postice subtiliter 



aciculatis, ......... fimetarius. 



3. valde convexus, piceus, elytris subtilius punctatis, postice 



densius aciculatis, ........ strigosus. 



4. rufo-piceus, elytris punctatis et aciculatis, lateribus laevibus, 



postpectore punctato, . . . . . . . conformis. 



(Corpore subovali.) 



5. rufo-piceus, elytris subtilius punctatis et aciculatis, lateribus 



loevibus, postpectore laevi, ...... simplex. 



*# Pygidium punctulatum, (corpore subovali.) 



6. piceus parcius punctulatus, elytris lateribus laevibus, stria 



laterali subtili ........ basalis. 



(nigro-piceus, punctulatus, elytris lateribus lajvibus, stria 



laterali profunda analis.) 



b. Thorax basi non marginatus. 



7. ovalis, rufo-piceus, impunctatus, ..... politus. 



8. oblongus, subdepressus niger, punctatus, pygidio laevi, . maritimus. 



9. oblongus, subdepressus, niger, grossius punctatus, pygidio 



pimctulato ......... exiguus. 



(rotundatus, subdepressus, rufus, aciculatus, pygidio vix 

 punctulato ......... atomus.) 



Abr^us Leach. 



1. A. pun c t if o r mi s, subglobosus, rufus, thorace punctato, elytris valde 

 aciculatis, linea basali hamata notatis, pygidio inflexo, punctato. Long. '02. 



Common in the Southern States, under pine bark. I have adopted the name 

 under which it has been sent me by Dr. Zimmerman. Body subglobose, very 

 little longer than wide, rufous, somewhat shining ; head and thorax finely punc- 

 tured, the latter not margined at the base. Elytra strongly aciculate, marked 

 on each side with a basal curved line, of a parabolic form ; the outer leg of this 

 curve may be traced quite to the apex, forming a fine marginal line ; the epi- 

 pleura? and imder surface of the body are very coarsely punctured. Pygidium 

 strongly inflexed, punctured. Anterior tibiae strongly dilated. 



The prostcrnum is punctured, slightly emarginate behind, and not striate. 



Acritus Lrc. 



Prosternum utririque truncatum, bistriatum ; mandibulne retract ; scrobiculi 

 antennales maximi profundi, in thoracis parte inflexa antice siti : antennae funi- 

 culo tenui, capitulo ovali; maxillae mala interiore unco apicali armata; tarsi 

 postici quadriarticulati; pygidium perpendiculare. 



Although by Erichson considered as a portion of Abra^us, I have ventured to 

 separate these species as a distinct genus, since the characters already pointed 

 out by Redtenbacher (Fauna Austr. 240) in the form of the posterior tarsi and 

 the inner lobe of the maxillae seem to indicate the necessity of removing these 

 species from Abraeus. 



In the form of the antennae and the cavities for their reception, this genus 

 agrees perfectly with Abraeus ; the prosternum is, however, less flat, and is 

 truncate posteriorly as well as in front ; it is marked with a distinct stria on 



