THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 35 



NOTES ON A FEW SPECIES OF COLEOPTERA WHICH ARE 



CONFUSED IN MANY COLLECTIONS, AND ON SOME 



INTRODUCED EUROPEAN SPECIES. 



P.Y JOHN HAMILTON, ALLEGHENY, PA. 



In exchanging Coleoptera it is common to find many erroneous 

 determinations of species. While these errors are for the most part indi- 

 vidual, several are wide spread and seem to be perpetuated by tradition 

 from the older collections. The object of this paper principally is to 

 direct attention to a few of the latter. 



1. Triplax tJioracica Say, and T. flavicolUs Lac. These species are 

 often found in colonies feeding together on the same fungus, and have the 

 same appearance. The separation of mature specimens is easy, the under side 

 of thoracica being entirely rufous, while the metathorax and abdomen of 



flavicolUs are black or piceous. 



2. Brachyacantha indubitabilis Crotch. Several exchange lists con- 

 tained this species ; but when it came to hand, in every instance it proved 

 to be Hyperaspis signata Oliv., which is of a similar size and appearance. 

 Apart from generic characters, indubitabilis is more convex and the elytra 

 are not compressed at the sides. The elytral yellow spot is noticeably 

 nearer the base, and there is a smaller one near the apex, which is wanting 

 in sigiiata. The latter is widely distributed, while lUinois is given as the 

 habitat of the other. 



3. Epierus pulicarius Er. The insect usually sent by this name is 

 the common Hister sub?-ottmdiis Say. A glance at the head is instantly 

 decisive. In the former the front is convex ; in the latter, broadly con- 

 cave ; otherwise there is great similarity. 



4. Anomala minuta Burm. This I have never seen, nor yet a descrip- 

 tion of it. All the specimens reeeived in exchange so named have proved 

 to be the black form of varians. 



5. Dromceolus striatus Lee. I have not yet succeeded in obtaining 

 this from any of the lists. There was sent to me twice cylindricollis Say, 

 and six times Nematodes penetrans Lee. The species of the genus 

 Nematodes should be of easy recognition, as in all of them the last abdom- 

 inal segment ends in a spine, and on the thorax there are two, or four, 

 deeply indented impressions or punctures. 



6. Caloptcron reticiilatum Fab., and typicum Newm. Collectors seem 



