Y32 Coleopterological Notices, VI. 



istic vestiture, three-jointed aiitennal club and other structures fully devel- 

 oped. 



A. exiguus Chrap., seems to lie between the nanus and ictericus groups of 

 true Anthicus, but is altogether distinct from any of our numerous small 

 species. 



A. dromedarhts Laf., will form the tj'pe of a distinct and still unnamed 

 genus, allied to Malporus, but with a far greater extension of the mesosternum 

 and complete absence of long erect tactile setae. 



A. spinicollis Laf., is also the type of a distinct genus, named Acanthinus 

 by LaFerte (Mon., p. 136), and characterized by a great lateral extension of 

 the mesosternum and subseriate elytral punctures; the genus extends into 

 southern Texas. 



SAPIi\TlJS n. gen. 



While it is true that the species separated from Anthicus un- 

 der this name appear to possess no very radical structural modi- 

 fication, there are so man}' minor points of divergence, and the 

 species are so evidently homogeneous among themselves, that I 

 have no doubt of the necessity for the division, especially as 

 these differences are accompanied by a marked peculiarity of 

 general habitus. 



The body is stouter than in Anthicus, with relatively much 

 longer el3'^tra and smaller prothorax ; the elytral epipleurte are 

 wider, the first joint of the hind tarsi is longer, and the corre- 

 sponding tibial spurs are shorter and much more slender, some- 

 times apparently almost obsolete. The vestiture is quite differ- 

 ent, consisting of two distinct sets of hairs, besides the erect 

 tactile setffi, the longer and more erect hairs arising from the 

 coarse punctures, the shorter and generally more decumbent 

 pubescence from minute punctules scattered over the interspaces. 

 Finally, the antenn^B terminate invariabl}' in an abrupt, though 

 feeble, three-jointed club. In fact Sapintus appears to constitute 

 a true genus, and can in no wise be regarded as a subgenus of 

 Anthicus ; it is confined geographicall}^ to the United States east 

 of the Rocky Mountains, extending well into Mexico, and is rep- 

 resented in the arid Sonoran province by one peculiar species ; 

 it does not occur at all in the true Pacific coast fauna. 



The species can be distinguished among themselves as follows: 



Eyes large and rather strongly convex, the body usually stouter. 

 Body black or brownish-black. 

 Legs blackish. 



