NORTH AMERICAN COLEOPTKRA. 241 



While the color is entirely pale, there is a distinct greenish surface 

 lustre. The suture is very narrowly piceous, the color becoming 

 broader, but more indefinite near the base. In form this species is 

 similar to Orthaltica. 



Collected near McPherson, Kansas, by Mr. William Knaus on 

 willows. 



C Helxiiies Liun. — Oval, slightly oblong, moderately convex, piceous, 

 surface metallic, varying from browu bronze to blue or green, antennae and legs 

 pale. Antennse half as long as the body, very slightly thicker to tip. pale rufo- 

 testaceous. often darker toward tip. Head smooth, frontal carina distinct, tuber- 

 cles not evident, but replaced liy an oblique ridge. Thorax more than half wider 

 than long, not narrowed in front, sides very feebly arcuate, anterior angles ob- 

 liquely truncate, disc moderately convex, ante-basal impression deep and at each 

 end suddenly flexed to the ba.se, the surface coarsely, but unequally punctate. 

 Elytra distinctly wider at base than the thorax, obliquely rounded, umbone 

 moderately prominent, a slight depression within it, disc with a scutellar and 

 nine discal striae of moderate punctures, not closely placed, bec(miing gradually 

 finer to apex, intervals broader than the striae, very minutely punctate or smooth. 

 Presternum punctate, but not densely. Abdomen sparsely, finely punctate, with 

 few hairs. Legs rufotestaceous, the posterior femur usually darker. Length 

 .09— .13 inch. ; 2.2—3.3 mm. 



In the male the last ventral segment has a slight impression at 

 apex. 



This species seems to vary in a manner similar to that observed in 

 Europe, and the reddish or brownish bronze forms seem the most 

 abundant. There is a decided variation in the sculpture of the 

 elytra. In the specimens from the more northern regions of our 

 country the elytra are distinctly striate, while those from the warmer 

 regions and California have simply the rijws (^f punctures. Conse- 

 quently, those with the elytra simply striato-punctate, the intervals 

 are flat, while those punctato-striate have convex intervals. The 

 interstitial punctuation is always fine, but in some specimens before 

 me cannot be observed. 



Specimens have been observed from nearly every part of the 

 United States. 



V,. robiista. Lee — Oval, slightly oblong, convex, facies robu.st, piceous brown, 

 shiuing, legs and antennae brownish testaceous. Head smooth, frontal carina 

 obtu.se, tubercles flat, transverse, not separated, limited above by a fine sinuous 

 line. Antennae half as long as the body, joints 3-10 very slightly increasing in 

 length and width, eleventh a little longer and acute at tip. Thorax very nearly 

 twice as wide as lonar, slightly narrowed in front, sides rather irregularly arcuate, 

 obliquely rounded near the front angles, disc rather strongly convex, sparsely, 

 very finely punctate, ante-basal transverse impression moderately deep, the lon- 



TRANS. AM. ENT. SOC. XVI. (31) JUNE, 188it. 



