46 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 



This is apparently a common winter Melanoius in Florida, having been 

 taken by me at Ormond, Sanford and Dunedin, Feb. 27— Apr. 15. About 

 Dunedin it occurs especially in early spring on the tall scurfy Ericad, Xolisma 

 jerrii'^inea Walt, which grows in clumps in very dry, sandy spots. It is espe- 

 cially notable for the long, parallel-sided thorax and peculiar punctuation of the 

 last ventral. 



Melanotus perplexiis, sp. nov. 



Size medium, form moderately slender. Occiput, ap'cal third of thorax, 

 elytral suture and under surface dark chestnut-brown; basal portion of thorax 

 and elytra except suture, reddish-brown; antennae and legs pale brown. Antennae 

 stout, strongly serrate, reaching basal third of abdomen, joints one and two 

 very short, subequal, subglobose, the two united less than half the length of 

 fourth, the latter slightly longer than fifth. Clypeus densely and coarsely 

 punctate, feebly concave, its front margin narrowly rounded. Thorax but 

 slightly longer than wide, the centre of its disk notably convex, widest at middle, 

 the sides evidently but not strongly curved; hind angles short, feebly divergent; 

 disk finely, evenly and rather closely punctate; basal third strongly declivent, 

 the concavity between base of thorax and that of elytra very deep and long. 

 Elytra at base as wide as middle of thorax, thence very feebly narrowing to 

 the rather bluntly rounded apex; stride distinctly impressed, their punctures 

 round, close-set; intervals as wide as the striae, each with two irregular rows of 

 minute punctures each bearing a very fine, short, white prostrate hair. Abdo- 

 men finely and rather closely punctate, the last two segments both densely 

 punctate and pubescent. Length of body 8—8.2 mm. 



Dunedin, Fla., June 10, July 5, two specimens taken at light. The colour 

 and short, convex thorax M'ith large, deep basal concavity are the distinguishing 

 features of this species. 



Taphrocerus puncticoUis Schwarz. I find that I have heretofore erron- 

 eously identified this species. It is our largest member of the genus, 5 to 6 

 mm. in length, bluish-black, the elytra without, or with very faint, pubescent 

 patches, their surface more or less rugose and with strial punctures somewhat 

 confused. A half dozen specimens were taken near Lakeland, Feb. 16, from 

 between the leaf-sheaths and clumps of a saw-grass growing in clin-nps along the 

 margin of a lake. 



Trichodes apivorus trifasciatus Sturm. A specimen of this large and 

 handsome Clerid, taken at Gainesville May 23, is at hand. It was sent u'c by 

 P. W. F'attig. The species is listed by Schwarz as "very rare" in Florida. 



Hydnocera verticalis Say. A variety of this well-known northern form, 

 having the thorax with only narrow lateral and median stripes piceous: head 

 and elytra wholly pale or the former with a faint fuscous blotch on occiput, 

 occurs in Florida. A specimen was beaten from Spanish mess at Lakeland, and 

 another is at hand from Lake City The species has not before been noted 

 definitely from Florida. 



(To be continued.) 



