]G0 GEO. 11. HORN, M. D. 



The most abundant form has the sides of the thorax broadly testaceous. 

 and the elytra are piceous, with a basal and post median transverse testa- 

 ceous band of irregular outline. These have the body beneath and legs 

 testaceous. The great variability of its coloring makes this species one 

 not easy to define. It is usually found in cabinets mixed with the smaller 

 forms of undulata, and it is with this species and semiUvida that it is 

 most likely to be confused. The latter species belongs to the Rhombonyx 

 series, and should therefore be easily excluded. From undulata the 

 present species is distinguished by its shorter and more robust form, the 

 punctuation of the surface convex and deeper. In undulata it is rare to 

 find even a trace of tooth at the middle of the claw joint of the front 

 tarsus beneath, and the anterior claw is scarcely flexed at base, and the 

 cleft portions of the tip nearly equal. 



Occurs in the Middle and Southern States. 



A. undulata Mels. — Form elongate, oval; oolor variable; head densely 

 punctured anteriorly ; margin of clypeus narrowly reflexed. the sides divergent, 

 the angles broadly rounded ; thorax narrowed in front: sides regularly arcuate, 

 base distinctly margined ; surface variably punctured, sometimes rather finely, at 

 others more coarsely ; scutellum coarsely punctured ; elytra, with striae of moder- 

 ately coarse punctures, somewhat confused near the suture, the intervals nearly 

 equal; three, however, somewhat more distinctly elevated ; pygidium rugulose, or 

 evenly punctured; body beneath sparsely, but rather coarsely punctured with 

 very little pubescence. Length .30— .40 inch; 7.5—10 mm. 



The claw joint of the front tarsus is scarcely at all toothed beneath, the anterior 

 claw is but little flexed at base, the tip cleft into two nearly equal portions; the 

 anterior claw of the middle tarsus is equally cleft at tip. 



This species is extremely variable in color. The first striking varia- 

 tion is in the punctuation of the thorax. In the specimens from the 

 more northern region of our country and from as far south as Virginia, 

 the thorax should be called coarsely punctured, it is nearly as much so as 

 in minuta, while the more southern specimens are quite smooth, and as 

 in hinotata. These seem climatic varieties, and can not be separated as 

 species. In the color of the surface the variation is very great. Speci- 

 mens occasionally appear of entirely pale, testaceous color, with only a 

 thoracic spot fuscous; these resemble, slightly, centralis. The under 

 side of the body is, as a general rule, testaceous, but specimens have been 

 found with the abdomen piceous. The thorax has always a large median 

 space, fuscous, the sides pale ; the fuscous portion has a purplish or 

 bronze surface lustre. The elytra are rarely entirely testaceous, usually 

 there are two series of fuscous spots arranged in arcuate rows, the one 

 about the middle the other posteriorly. The spots often become confluent, 

 forming distinct and continuous fasciae. The only species with which 



