1853.] 445 



This species is remarkably different from all those ahove described by the medial 

 groove of the rostrum being obsolete, except towards the tip, where it appears 

 as an oblong fovea ; the lateral grooves are not deep, and end at the transverse 

 impression at the base of the rostrum. Over the body and legs the white scales 

 are intermixed with pale fuscous, giving a dullness to the color ; the fuscous 

 stripes of the elytra are very variable, sometimes they are well defined ; in other 

 specimens they are confused by fuscous spots on the adjoining interstitial spaces ; 

 the dark fascia of the femora is moderately distinct. 



9. 0. so r d id us, niger, griseo-fuscoque squamosus, rostro trisulcato, sulcis 

 profundis, lateralibus rectis brevibus, thorace latitudine sesqui breviore, antice 

 subangustato, lateribus late rotundatis parce punctato, subcanaliculato, elytris 

 convexis thorace latioribus, striis vix impressis punctatis, interstiliis planis. 

 Long. -37. 



One female specimen, Platte River. The posterior marginal impression of the 

 thorax is indistinct ; the anterior one is entire, broad but not deep ; the brown 

 and gray scales are intermixed and do not form any well defined spaces ; the 

 latter color predominates on the head, and the former on the elytra. 



10. O. d e c i p i e n s, piceus (dense ?) griseo-squamosus (elytris fusco variega- 

 tis ?) rostro sulco medio minus profundo antice lato, lateralibus brevibus indis- 

 tinctis, thorace latitudine non breviore, lateribus antice posticeque paulo rotun- 

 datis, disperse profunde punctato, canaliculato, elytris convexis, thorace paulo 

 latioribus, striis modice impressis profunde punctatis, interstitiis paulo convexis. 

 Long. '3. 



One male found by the Commission at Eagle Pass. The scales are unfortunately 

 removed in great part, but the elytra at the apex show some appearance of having 

 been variegated with darker marks. Beneath, the body is uniformly and densely 

 covered with grayish scales. The sides of the thorax are nearly straight at the 

 middle, narrowed and rounded slightly at each end ; tne transverse marginal im- 

 pressions are visible only in the sides. The rostrum is more flattened above 

 than in any other species, and the middle groove is very indistinct, and so di- 

 lated anteriorly that the surface becomes broadly concave ; the lateral grooves 

 are very short and not deep. The appearance is very similar to Epicaerus, but 

 the ciliate thoracic postocular lobes require it to be placed in this genus. 

 tr- Although but two new species of this interesting genus were procured by the 

 Boundary Commission, I have thought that a short account of all the species 

 known to me, would be useful. 



Pelecyphortjs Sol. 



P. e 1 a t us, niger, capite profunde impresso, thorace latitudine paulo bre^io^e, 

 lateribus antice latissime reflexis medio angulatis, angulis anticis et posticis dis- 

 tinctis, elytris oblongo-ovalibus, postice acutiusculis, convexis, thorace plus 

 duplo latioribus punctis rugosis minus profundis impressis, lineis tribus sutura- 

 que lasvibus, epipleuris subito inflexis, humeris minutis porrectis. Long. 1'3. 



A large species, remarkable for the form of the thorax, which is tolerably re- 

 gularly hexagonal, with all the angles well defined ; the sides are very strongly 

 reflexed anteriorly, but become gradually narrower from the lateral angle to the 

 base. This species agrees with P. confluens Lee. and the next species, as well 

 as v^'ith all the others referred by me to the genus,except Asida anastomosis, in hav- 

 ing elongate palpi with the last joint strongly securiform, and a large lateral open- 

 ing between the mentum and the base of the mandibles. The species referred 

 by me to Euschides (Stenomorpha Solier,') have the same form of mouth, but ap- 

 pear to have the last joint of the palpi broader and more regularly triangular. I 

 am doubtful about the generic value of that character, but at present all is con- 

 fusion in regard to genera of Tenebrionidae ; the presternum is longitudinally 

 deeply concave between the anterior coxae, and is not produced posteriorly ; the 

 sides of the elytra are not margined, although the epipleuras are suddenly inflexed. 



P. s o r d i d u s, piceo-niger, capite modice impresso, punctato, thorace latitu- 

 dine fere sesqui breviore, ante medium angustato, lateribus rotundatis subserra- 

 tis, deplanatis, subreflexis,confertimgrosse inaequaliter punctato, elytris oblono-o- 



