2 GEO. H. HORN, M. D. 



The characters given above indicate a genus closely related to 

 Bostrychus aud Amphicerus, and like the latter without frontal mar- 

 gin, but with a slight projection over the base of the antennae. The 

 head is not so completely inferior as in those genera nor are the fii-st 

 two joints of the antennae as short in comparison with the next five. 

 The most striking difference, however, is in the structure of the tibiae 

 with the outer edge strongly dentate. 



The first fragments of this genus received by me consisted of a 

 hind body and a head without mouth parts, excepting the mandibles. 

 Supposing the head (which I now know to be larval) to belong to 

 the fragments of body, the genus has been characterized in verbal 

 remarks made before the Academy of Natural Sciences as eyeless, 

 and therefore the largest blind Coleopter known. The discovery of 

 additional material enables me now to correct an error which has 

 unfortunately appenred in print. 



I>. Wriglltii n. sp. — Black, shining, beneath brown sparsely pubescent ; 

 head broader behind the eyes, finely punctate, a vague median frontal impres- 

 sion ; thorax oboval broader than long, nearly as wide as the elytra, very convex, 

 densely granulate in front and posteriorly, roughly asperate at the sides ante- 

 riorly ; elytra parallel, declivous posteriorly, the apices sinuately truncate, the 

 sutural angle acute, the disc vaguely bicostate, the costse terminating in tuber- 

 culiform elevations ( 9 ) or with the inner costa prolonged in a spine ( % ',, the 

 surface above with shallow cribrate punctures, the sides smoother and with two 

 indistinct costse beneath the humeral umbone ; legs moderate, femora sparsely 

 punctate ; body beneath rather finely punctate, the abdomen more densely and 

 with pale brownish pubescence. Length 1.50 - 1.86 inch ; 38-47 mm. 



4 



The measurements are taken from the apex of the elytra to the 

 anterior margin of the thorax ; the smaller specimens are females. 

 A size is thus indicated exceeding any Bostrichide known. 



For the fragments in my possession I am indebted to the untiring- 

 exertions of Mr. W. G. Wright, of San Bernardino, Cal, a zealous 

 Botanist, for whom neither the privations incident to an exploration 

 of the Mojave Desert nor the jealous watchfulness of the Lidians, 

 seemed to have had any terrors. 



Mojave Desert, California. 



As the habits of this insect and its larva are now being investigated 

 by Mr. Wright, I refrain from mentioning any matters of this char- 

 acter, as comparatively little is known except its food plant. It is to 

 be expected that in the near future we will have fiill details from him. 

 Should it prove to infest but the one plant it is likely to be at all 

 times rai-e, and i)ossibly to disappear. 



