388 CLASSIFICATION OF THE CARAEIDjE 



2. B. f 1 a v i p e s , niger, thorace subovali, postice subangustato et utrinque foveato, angulis posticis 

 vakle rotundatis, elytris niicantibus, profunde striatis, bipunctatis, interstitiis convexis, antennis fus- 

 cis, pedibus flavo-testaceis. Long. "25. 



Two specimens from Louisiana, given me by my friend Dr. Schaum. This species in 

 general appearance resembles B. micans Lee., but the form of the thorax is very dif- 

 ferent. The thorax is not wider than long, oval scai'cely trapezoidal, emarginate in front, 

 rounded on the sides, which are scarcely reflexed, even at the posterior angles, which are 

 much more rounded than in B. micans: the longitudinal line is deep, and abbreviated at the 

 apex: the transverse impressions are faint, the basal impressions are deep and small. The 

 lustre of the elytra is blue mixed with brassy, while in B. micans it is entirely blue and 

 green, without any metallic appearance: the stria? are much deeper, and the interstices 

 more convex: the palpi are dark testaceous. 



Diplochila Bridle, (REMBUs[|Zetfr.) 

 In this genus I have carefully reexamined the species described by me in the Catalogue 

 above cited, but without coming to any definite result: the variations in form and dimen- 

 sion of the thorax are certainly too great for a single species, and yet no invariable cha- 

 racters have thus far been found for their separation: whatever may be the eventual fate 

 of the species, I may at least assert, that my Rembus major and laticollis are identical, 

 and probably different from C. impressicollis Dej. by their larger and wider thorax. R. 

 obtusus, from Missouri Territory, is entitled to rank as a species, on account of the 

 posterior angles of the thorax being rounded at the apex. 



Dicelus Bon. 



This genus presents great difficulties, since many of the species seem variable in the 

 form and sculpture of the thorax, while others appear unchangeable. The species have 

 been unnecessarily multiplied on slight grounds, and with a large series of specimens, it 

 can be seen that the number may be greatly reduced. For the present I will only indicate 

 the following synonyms: 



D. decoloratus Lcc. (Ann. Lye. 4, 423,) is probably a very large badly colored specimen 

 of D. splendidus Say. 



D. violaceus Bon., cyaneus Dej., confusus Lcc, and iricolor Lee. are varieties of D. 

 purpuratus Bon. 



D. chalybcus Dej. must also probably be united with that species, as its characters ap- 

 pear by no means definite. 



D. quadratus Lcc. (Ann. Lye. 4, 422,) is D. Lecontci Fcrte (Ann. Ent. Soc. Fr. 2, 

 9, 277:) the first name has priority by several years. 



D. quadratus Ferte seems to be merely D. dilatatus Say, Dejean having prepared the 

 way for that error by quoting Say's species as a synonym to his Dejcanii, which is a 

 much larger species, found only in the Southern States. 



The smaller black species are also in great confusion on account of the variable nature 

 of the characters. D. obscurus Lcc. and what I considered asD. ambiinius must be united 



a 



