222 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



In the western and southern portions of this continent we have species 

 which are large and abundant, and which there is every reason to believe 

 possess all the activity we need, and the chief object of this paper is to 

 draw attention to this fact, and if possible to acquaint our members with 

 the appearance of these species, and detail their life history and habits as 

 far as they are known, so that those who reside in these more distant 

 regions may be induced to collect them in sufficient quantities to admit 

 of their being thoroughly tested. It is not probable that they would be 

 found in any respect less valuable as vesicating agents than the Spanish 

 beetle. 



Through the kindness of Dr. George H. Horn, of Philadelphia, whose 

 extensive contributions to our knowledge of American Coleoptera have 

 made his name familiar both in Europe and America, we have been sup- 

 plied with much information in reference to the species here treated of; 

 an acknowledgment is also due to Prof. C. V. Riley, State Entomologist 

 of Illinois, for some valuable notes on the habits of these insects. We 

 have also had a lithographic plate prepared by Messrs. Sinclair & Sons, 

 of Philadelphia, under the kind supervision of Dr. Horn, in which each 

 of the species referred to is figured of the natural size, excepting 7 and 

 8, which are somewhat enlarged. This plate is remarkably well executed, 

 and is probably one of the best plates of Coleoptera ever published ; 

 besides the American species, it contains figures of M. cichorii and 

 C. vesicatoria. 



We shall first enumerate the species, giving brief descriptions, as plain 

 and void of technicalities as possible. 



1. Meloe angiisticollis Say. — This insect (see fig. 1 on plate) is of a 

 dark bluish violaceous color, with the head, thorax and wing-cases thickly 

 punctured with minute dots or impressions. The thorax is slender, nar- 

 rower than the head ; feet slightly hairy, with the spines of the legs 

 reddish. Found in the Eastern States and in many parts of Canada ; 

 occasionally abundant under stones. 



2. Cysteodemus armatus Lee. — Entire body bluish black ; thorax with 

 a strong lateral spine on each side ; wing-cases very convex, and much 

 larger than the abdomen, which they cover, and with very coarse elevated 

 reticulations on their surface. This insect varies greatly in size ; the figure 

 represents a medium sized specimen. 



Extremely abundant in Arizona and the desert regions of California 

 wherever the greasewood, Larrea Mexicana, grows. This insect is not as 



