NORTH AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. 217 



From the description <iiven by Maeklin of picipennis, it is difficult to 

 say whether he had before him some of the forms of nigritulus or 

 mkrupldlidlmus. From tlie fact that he describes the legs as testaceous, 

 I am inclined to accept the idea of Fauvel that it is nigritulus. 



In studying a series of nigritulus sent me by Fauvel, and observing 

 the extent and manner of variation, T am inclined to consider the forms 

 distributed under the name anflirarinus to be merely a variety. These 

 arc usually darker iti color and rarely the punctuation is finer than nor- 

 mal, but in whatever variation of form, size or color the sexual charac- 

 ters remain the same. 



In both microphthalmus and nigrttuhis there is some variation in the 

 form of the head, which is at times quite oblong, and as often quadrate 

 oval, this entirely independently of the sex. 



There is no more difficult series in the genus than the little group with 

 simple male tarsi and (|uinquepunctate thorax. 



P. decipiens n. sp. — Very closely related to nigritulus, and differing as fol- 

 lows : color reddish brown, abdomen darker; elytra more distinctly j)unctured . 

 legs and coxse rufo-testaceoiis. Length .20 inch ; 5 mm. 



Male. — Anterior tarsi slender; last ventral segment not eniarginate; when 

 viewe<l by transmitted light the last ventral is apparently acutely triangularly 

 einarginate, the notch being entirely closed and the apex entire, by a translucent 

 border. 



I have seen but one specimen of this species kindly loaned me by Mr. 

 Fauvel, from which it is impossible to say if the color in constant. It is 

 very probable that the legs are always pale. 

 Occurs in California. 



P. albionicus Mann.— Form moderately elongate, black, shining, very 

 sparsely pubescent; antennre piceous, as long as the head and thorax, joints all as 

 long or longer than wide ; head quadrate oval, shining, a few large punctures near 

 the hind angles; thorax not wider than the head, longer than wide, not wide*" 

 behind; sides feebly sinuate, dorsal punctures six, rather deeply impressed, ar- 

 ranged in a sigmoid series ; elytra wider and longer than the thorax, a little longer 

 than wide conjointly, black, shining, pubescence very sparse, punctuation rather 

 coarse and deep, not closely placed; abdomen shining, iridescent, pubescence very 

 sparse, punctuation finer than on the elytra, and rather more sparse; beneath the 

 punctuation is rather coarser and closer; legs piceous, or piceo-testaceous. Length 

 .24 inch ; 6 mm. 



Male. — Anterior tarsi slender: last ventral segment with a rather largo triangu- 

 larly oval eniargination with a distinctly depressed border. 



Female. — Unknown. 



This species closely resembles imfahilis, but the thorax is not narrowed 

 in front, and the elytra more coarsely punctured. The male sexual 

 characters are the most reliable for the separation of the species. 



TRANS. AMF.n. KNT. sor. XI. (55) Jl-.NE, 1884. 



