266 [Aug., 1845 



common in California, frequenting the bushy margins of streams and weedy 

 places, with the intermediate habits of a titmouse and wren ; both of which in 

 some respects it resembles. For the present I place it in the Genus Parus, but 

 think its bill and other peculiarities render it worthy of being separated from it. 

 The bars on the tail and wings in some specimens are more indistinct than in 

 others. 



Meiigulus, Ray. 



Mergtjlus, * Cassinii.\ Head, back, wings and tail deep glossy black ; breast, 

 belly, vent, spot above and below the eyelids white ; throat, neck and sides greyish 

 black or plumbeous, the feathers of the scapulars, lower part of back and rump 

 tinged with the same. Bill larger and stouter than that of the M. alle, and with a 

 yellowish white spot or band across the base of lower mandible ; wings without 

 any white in them. Front part of feet and legs sky-blue, behind black. 



Length to end of tail 7| inches. Tarsus 1 inch. Bill nearly f of an inch. 



This new species frequent along the coast of California; may readily be dis- 

 tinguished from the M. alle, which it resembles, by the absence of any white in 

 the wing; the size of the bill; and as it turns in the dried specimen, the orange 

 spot at base of lower mandible ; and by the sides being coloured like the throat. 



Further notices of the character and habits of these birds I hope to give in a 

 future paper, containing a list, with remarks on the birds which I observed in 

 Upper California. 



Descriptions of New North American Coleoptcra. 

 By Daniel Ziegler, of York, Pa. 



Philonthus, Leach. 



P. atcr. Black, polished ; antennas and palpi reddish-brown ; dorsal thoracic 

 punctures six. Length 3 lines. 



Head with a transverse series of four punctures between the eyes, the two 

 intermediate ones slightly impressed ; a deeply impressed puncture each side 

 above and two or three scattered ones behind the eyes; a transverse series of 

 two or three obsolete punctures each side at base. Antennas shorter than the 

 thorax, reddish-brown; third joint much longer than the second; 4 — 10 joints 

 subequal, transverse; terminal joint much longer and a little thicker than the 

 preceding one, obliquely truncate. Mandibles at tip, and palpi, reddish-brown. 

 Thorax black, highly polished; wider than the elytra, contracted anteriorly; 

 base with the posterior angles regularly and strongly rounded ; apex truncate, 

 the anterior angles slightly rounded and deflexed ; dorsal punctures six, three in 

 each series, and three or four scattered lateral ones. Scutellum rather large, 

 black, impunctured. Elytra black, shining, a little longer than the thorax ; 

 sparsely and obscurely punctured, slightly hairy. Tergurn black, tinged with 

 blue, pubescent. Venter, posterior margins of the segments obsoletely edged 

 with rufous. Feet, femora dark-brown ; knees, tibiae, and tarsi, paler. In- 

 habits Pennsylvania. 



t In honor of the Ornithologist, Mr. John Cassin, of Philadelphia. 



