NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 89 



Melanophila opaca is, I consider, a unicolorous specimen of M. 

 notata. 



31. Drxtmmondi and 31. fulvosignata are usuall}^ verj'- distinct, 

 but some specimens from Michigan are verj^ intermediate in sculp- 

 ture. 



M. prasina, Lee. 



Tliis name being preoccupied is cbangcd by Leconte in the 

 'List" to 31. gentilis. 



Anthaxia. 



After carefull}' comparing all the six species of Leconte's group 

 A., I am unable to separate an}' of them specifically ; the glabrous 

 head of A. inomiata is merely individual, and probably abraded. 



The sexual differences arc very slight, and consist merely of a 

 more concave prosternum in the male. 



A. subaenea, Lee. L c. p. 216. 



This I take to be the 9 of A. viridifrons, Gory. 



A. quercata (Fnb.), Lee. L e. p. 217. 



This in like manner is the 9 A. cuneiformis, Gory. 



POLYCESTA. 



P. elata, cavafa, californica^ and obtusa appear to form one 

 variable species; P. obtusa is indeed a very small, probably abnor- 

 mal specimen. P. velasco is very distinct by its short subscutellar 

 costa. 



Ptosima, gibbicoUis, Say {luctnosa mict.). 



Say's name not being now preoccupied, it must be employed 

 for this species. 



ACMiEODERA. 



Several new species have been added to the list, and four or 

 five remain undescribed, but I am entirely unable to discover any 

 characters except. the variable ones of color, sculpture, and form; 

 so that the limits of species appear to be merely opinionative. 



Leconte's groups based on the abdominal crest are not very 

 safe, certainly A. texana has a well-marked crest, and must come 

 next to A. pulchella, of which it is hardly more than a variety. 

 7 



