THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 37 



8. Dcrmcstes Frischii Kugel. No notice of this species as having 

 been found in our Fauna has been observed. It occurs in great abund- 

 ance on the Atlantic coast at Brigantine, N. J., on sand-hills among fish 

 refuse from the hotels. Till recently I regarded it as a variety of vul- 

 pinus Lin., but the receipt of Frischii from Europe enabled me to correct 

 the error. Specimens sent to Mr. C. Spiess, Switzerland, labeled vulpinus, 

 were also recognized at once as Frischii. It belongs to the division of the 

 genus with vulpinus, from which it differs in being smaller, more scaphoid 

 in outline, and in the last abdominal segment having only the tip and a 

 spot on each side denuded. The under side is densely clothed with pure 

 snowy pubescence, except the usual row of denuded spots on each side 

 of the abdomen, and a smaller one on the episternum of the metathorax 

 close to the elytra. The basal half of the femora is covered with the 

 same white pubescence, and is not annulated. The pubescence on the 

 sides of the thorax is the same as in vulpinus, though the triangular black 

 spot has sparse semi-erect grayish pubescence, liice the elytra. 



9. Dermestes muri?ius Linn. Mr. H. F. Jayne, in his Revision of the 

 Dermestidas of the U. S., Proc. Am. Phil. Soc, 20, 350, describes tnurinus 

 Linn., placing under it as varieties caninus Germ., and rattus Lee, and 

 making synonyms of nubilus Say and dissector Kirb. With about fifty 

 European specimens before me, and omitting the synopsis which is not 

 applicable to the European tnurinus, I would call the description fair, pro- 

 vided " cinereus " is interpreted strictly to mean gray tinged with black; 

 but in that sense, it does not apply to nubilus, in which fulvus takes the 

 place of cinereous. If considered wise to unite in one species the above 

 named forms, it might give better results to make nubilus a variety also, 

 the differences between it and murinus being quite as appreciable as those 

 of caninus or rattus. Murifius is black — has black antennae, the mottling 

 is of a different pattern, and it has not on it a fulvous hair or scale, except 

 on the scutellum. Nubilus is blackish brown — has rufous antennae, and 

 the fulvous pubescence rather predominates over the dark. 



Blaps mortisaga Linn. By whose authority this has been placed on 

 our Catalogue is unknown to me. I have three insects from West Vir- 

 ginia, so called ; but Mr. C. V. Riley, in a late number of the American 

 Naturalist, says the Virginia species is similis Latr. It is greatly to be 

 regretted that introducers of species frequently neglect to characterize 

 them, so that when found by others they may be recognized. A name 

 without a description is only an aggravation. In the present instance I 



