220 S. FRANK AARON. 



HOLOPYGA Dahlbom. 

 Hym. Eur. ii, 47, pi. iii, 1854. 



Evenly and closely punctured all over, largest on luetathorax, smallest 

 on the occiput and the abdomen ; 2-4 distinct teeth between the base 

 and apex of tarsal claw. 



This genus is allied to Hedychrum and Eedychridium in the distribu- 

 tion of the punctures and the character given by the general appearance, 

 but it is equally allied to Omalus, Ehr.npus and Notozus in the toothed 

 tarsal claws and its tendency to vary in the number of these teeth. By 

 its intermediate characters it seemingly prevents the separation of these 

 two groups of genera into sub-families. 



Three or four teeth within the tarsal claw, the intervals between the abdominal 



puncture- smooth vent ralis. 



Two teeth within the tarsal claw, the interval between the abdominal punctures 



with fine shallow punctures horus. 



Holopyga ventraliM. 



Hedychrum mntrale Say, Long's second e.xpedition, App. 330. 1.S24. 



Holopi/ga compacta Cresson, Proc. Ent. Soc. Phila., iv, 304. 



Hedychrum violaceum Provancher, Nat. Can. xii, 301. 



Holopyga ventralis Norton, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. vii, 235. 

 Before me are seventy-six specimens, all with 3 or 4 teeth in the claw, 

 among which are several specimens determined by Mr. Norton as this 

 species, and the type specimen of Mr. Cresson's H. compacta ; the 

 others are from Georgia, Illinois, Montana, Washington Territory, Col- 

 orado, California, Texas and Vancouver's Island. Among these are 

 several well marked varieties, but the characters separating them are in 

 no case constant, and the connecting links are numerous and gradational. 

 These characters are as follows : brierht emerald-green all over with 

 brassy reflections, without blue or purple, to dark blue and purple with 

 slight green reflections, and all intermediate shades ; lateral margins of 

 third abdominal segment with two slight arcuations, in others the lobe 

 is wanting and the margins with one long arcuation (also gradational) ; 

 apex of third segment with a broad shallow notch, in others wanting, 

 the apex rounded, and in most of the specimens the notch is slight and 

 gradational. In some few specimens the entire margin of third segment 

 is straight and even. There is also a gradation between the third and 

 fourth toothed claws ; 4.5-7 mm. long. 



HolopygH lioriis n. sp. — Dark green with some blue and purple, or light 

 blue with much green and a little purple ; a slight arcuation at apex of third 

 segment: one specimen has the lateral margin slightly angulated, the others with 

 the margin with one long arcuation, not angulated ; 4.5 mm. long. '^ • 9 ■ 



Montana and Nevada ; four specimens. 



