NORTH AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. 



245 



The two males before me show ii curious structure, whicli must for 

 the preseut be cousidei-ed a monstrosity. The outer anterior claw 

 has an additional small tooth between the usual tooth and the apex, 

 on one side midway (fig. 9a), on the other close to the base of the 

 tooth (fig. 9b); this in one male. In the second male both claws 

 of the left side are normal, while the outer claw of the right side has 

 the tooth midway (fig. 9c) as in the other male. The claws of the 

 other legs are normal, as are those of the female. The maxillary 

 palpi are stouter than i have observed in any other species. 



This species so closely resembles the larger forms of fusca as to be 

 with difficulty distinguished, except by the sexual characters and the 

 stouter palpi. 



Collected in Kansas by Prof F. H. Snow. 



30 L,. Tiisca Frohl.— Form usually oblong, although somewhat variable, 

 rufocastaueous, brown or piceous, shining. Clypeus slightly emarginate, the 

 border moderately reflexed. surface moderately closely punctate, front usually a 

 little more coarsely and less closely punctate. Thorax always widest at base, 

 usually arcuately narrowed to the apex, margin entire with short cilia-, surface 

 variab"ly punctate, never very coarsely nor very closely, usually with a smooth 

 median line, basal channel wanting. Elytra more closely punctate than the 

 thorax, the costfe variable, sometimes fairly distinct or again entirely obliterated, 

 the submarginal always distinct posteriorly. Pygidium usually punctate some- 

 times coarsely, sometimes more finely, always sparsely. Metasternum densely 

 punctured, the hair loug and dense, a little shorter in the female. Abdomen 

 shinin- sparsely punctate, the last two segments more coarsely. Claws curved, 

 the tooth median, always stronger in the female. Last joint of maxillary palpi 

 ovate, not impressed. Length .70 - .95 inch ; 17.5 — 23.5 mm. 



Male.— Antennal club as long as the stem, or very little longer. 

 Abdomen flattened at middle, penultimate segment with a transverse 

 ridge near the posterior border, variably elevated, sometimes very 

 sinuous (figs. 30, 31). Last ventral feebly concave. Inner spur of 

 hind tibiaj two-thirds the length of the outer and slender. 



Female.— Antennal club small, much shorter than the funiculus. 

 Last ventral segment broadly emarginate at apex. Pygidium more 

 elongate than the male, more shining, the punctures more sharply 

 impressed. Hind tarsi distinctly shorter. 



This species as here defined is probably the most widely distributed 

 of any in our fauna, and at the same time the most abundant wherever 

 it occurs. We observe, therefore, geographical races, and within 

 these races individual variations which are brought into prominence 

 in most collections by being preserved, while the typical forms are 

 rejcH-ted. As a general rule the southern specimens are larger, more 



