Coleopterological Notices. 377 



however, in the nature of the line forming the edges of the elytra, 

 which is invariably straight from a lateral point of view. 



C. la.ta Lee. — New Species Col., 1866, p. 113. — Broadly oval, moderately 

 convex, smooth, subalutaceous. Head small, rather coarsely and sparsely 

 punctate ; antennae rather slender, bat distinctly incrassate toward apex, the 

 tenth joint slightly longer than wide. Prothorax strongly transverse, nearly 

 twice as wide as long, very strongly narrowed from base to apex, the latter 

 not quite one-half as wide as the base which is very strongly bisinuate, the 

 angles acute, not at all rounded and not projecting posteriorly beyond the 

 median lobe ; sides strongly, evenly arcuate ; disk densely and rather strongly 

 punctured ; side margins not reflexed although very finely and acutely beaded. 

 Scut«llum very small. Elytra scarcely one-third longer than wide, two and 

 one-half times as long as the prothorax, the surface smooth, rather dull and 

 just visibly undulated toward apex, somewhat densely and very finely punc- 

 tate, the punctures not quite as large as those of the prothorax. Abdomen 

 shining, sparsely, finely punctate, the punctures denser and rather asperate 

 toward the sides. Length 10.8-11.7 mm. ; width 5.3-5.7 mm. 



California CIsland of San Cleniente). 



This species represents a very peculiar type, completely isolated 

 from any of those at present known as inhabiting the neighboring 

 continent, and peculiar to the Santa Barbara group of islands. It 

 is immediately distinguishable by its broad evenly oval form, pecu- 

 liar punctuation and strongly bisinuate base of the prothorax. 



Var. insxilaris. — Similar to lata but much narrower, more shining, the head 

 relatively larger and more finely punctate, the prothorax only one-half wider 

 than long, the ajjex fully one-half as wide as the base, the sides less strongly 

 arcuate. Length 10.0—11.5 mm.; width 4.7-5.1 mm. 



California (Island of Santa Cruz). 



While conforming to the peculiar typical facies of lata, the speci- 

 mens from Santa Cruz differ to such an extent as to require special 

 designation at least as a variety. 



Before discussing the geological changes which the existence of 

 these two northern forms and the genus Coelotaxis apparently reveal 

 to us, it would perhaps be well to note the tendency of the species 

 of Coniontis, inhabiting the southern limit of the region near San 

 Diego, to become conspicuously pubescent, as seen in subpubescens 

 and the still more aberrant and local form described below as par- 

 viceps, the latter being probably a degenerative type. 



It is well known that a large percentage of all the productions 

 of the islands lying off the coast of California, although having an 

 essentially Californian character, are specifically distinct and strictly 



