12 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



many specimens shows a more or less deeply impressed median line. The 

 underside of the hody is always as dark as the upper surface, the legs are 

 paler than the antennae. The antennae are unicolorous, the first three 

 joints shining, the remaining joints opaque, equally setose, growing uni 

 formly stouter towards the tip. 



Lake Tahoe, Gala., numerous specimens; Sisson, Gala., two 

 specimens. 



This species is distinguished from B. nitidus and B. varicornis 

 by its short maxillary palpi, the last joint of which tapers regu 

 larly toward base and tip, and is but little longer than the preced 

 ing joint. In size it is intermediate between the two Eastern spe 

 cies, and is darker in color than either of them. The underside 

 is never lighter than the upper surface, as in dark specimens of 

 B. nitidus. The rows of setae upon the elytra and the pubescence 

 upon the legs are nearly as in B. varicornis, but upon the anten 

 nae the pubescence is finer and denser, the joints from the fourth 

 outwardly are equally opaque, and the last three joints are not 

 suddenly enlarged as in the latter species. 



The. sexual characters are not strongly expressed in this genus. 

 The penultimate (sixth) segment in the males is prolonged over 

 the anal plate, and presents slight differences in the three species. 

 The distal edge of this prolongation is frequently sinuate or emar- 

 ginate, forming three more or less distinct lobes. 



In B. nitidus this segment is produced in an acute raised point 

 with shallow sinuations on the sides. B varicornis has also the 

 tip of the sixth segment prolonged in an acute point, but the side 

 lobes are wanting. In B. californicus the prolongation is obtuse 

 and frequently terminates in three small, nearly equal, elevated 

 points separated by emarginations. 



A numerous colony of B. californicus was found at Lake 

 Tahoe, in July, 1891 , living in wet moss, darkly overshadowed by- 

 bushes, at the margin of a mountain stream. 



Mr. G. C. Davis, of Agricultural College, Michigan, gave a 

 description of the insect collections of that institution. These 

 collections are especially rich in the orders Lepidoptera and 

 Coleoptera, and are rapidly growing in other orders. The two 

 orders named have been largely increased by the purchase of 

 large collections of North American insects, notably the Tepper 

 collection of Lepidoptera and the Austin collection of Coleoptera. 

 A general description of the extent and character of the collec 

 tions was given. Mr. Schwarz said he was glad that a good 



