379 



ventro-mesal direction ; while in the species here described, the slender, 

 curved processes of epliilida apparently have no counterpart, the 

 rounded, ventro-distal lobes are broad and not elongate as in ephilida, 

 and in this species, there is a pair of broad, angulate lobes not present 

 in ephilida, which are apparently developed from the ventral margins, 

 and which bear each a short, straight, slender process, which extends 

 directly mesad from its point of origin. The females of this species 

 are readily separated from those of ephilida and iiniformis by the 

 pubic process. This structure has approximately the same length and 

 the same general form in these three species, but in the Illinois species 

 it is broader than in either of the other two. 



The foregoing will serve to indicate the general plan of the writer's 

 work on Phyllophaga, and will make immediately available some of the 

 results already obtained. It is hoped that the names given here will 

 be useful to those who contemplate publishing on the group before the 

 completed synopsis may appear. 



The writer is now prepared to give determinations of any "May 

 beetle" material from the United States and Canada, and will be glad 

 to do anything in his power to encourage greater activity in the study 

 of the group. He will gladly determine and report promptly on any 

 collections that may be submitted to him if mounted with the genital 

 structures exposed. Unmounted material, however, or mounted col- 

 lections that do not have the genital structures exposed, can be ac- 

 cepted only with the understanding that they will be determined as 

 leisure from other duties may permit the time-consuming manipula- 

 tion that such material requires. 



A large series of exotic species of Pliyllophaga, sensti lata, is now 

 being worked over. This series belongs to the United States National 

 Museum, and includes species from the West Indies, Mexico, Central 

 America, South America, Eastern and Southern Asia, and islands of 

 the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It is hoped that studies of this ma- 

 terial will suggest a grouping of the North American species that will 

 represent natural relationships more successfully than might be pos- 

 sible from a study of the North American species alone. 



Any criticisms or suggestions from other workers that may con- 

 tribute to the completeness, or the thoroughness, or the usableness of 

 the forthcoming paper will be welcome. 



Issued Feb. 4, 1916. 



