NORTH AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. 287 



P. estriatum Say. — Eather broadly oval, strongly convex, piceous black, 

 shining. Autennse. testaceous, club somewhat darker. Mouth parts pale, nien- 

 tuni piceous, sparsely punctate, shining. Head indistinctly, not closely punctate. 

 Thorax very little more distinctly punctate than the head, punctures finer in 

 front. Elytra more coarsely punctured than the thorax, the punctures not dis- 

 tant more than their own diameter, a little finer toward the apex. Body be- 

 neath piceous, opaque, metasternal carina shining, sparsely punctate. Legs 

 piceous Length .12— .14 inch. ; 3 — 3.5 mm. 



This insect has much the facies of Cydonotum orbiculare Fab., 

 although always smaller and rather broader. The anterior edge of 

 the mesosternal plate is very nearly vertical. 



Occurs in Maryland, Missouri, Florida, Louisiana and Texas. 



P. semiglobosum Zimm. — Eather broadly oval, semiglobose. piceous 

 black, shiuing. Mouth parts testaceous, mentum piceous, sparsely punctate, 

 shining. Antennae testaceous, club brown. Head spar.sely indistinctly punctate. 

 Thorax obsoletely, sparsely punctate. Elytra very distinctly punctate, a little 

 more finely at apex, the punctures separated by more than their own diameters. 

 Body beneath piceous, opaque, metasternal carina shining, sparsely punctate. 

 Legs piceo-rufous. Length .10 inch.; 2.5 ram. 



This species is very closely related to the preceding, and differs 

 only in some minor details. It is smaller and more convex, the en- 

 tire surface less distinctly punctate, and on the elytra the punctures 

 are more widely separated. 



Occurs in Florida. 



Group CERCYONES. 



In this group the metasternum is not at all, or extremely little 

 extended between the middle coxse. The prosteruum moderately 

 wide in front of the coxje and carinate at middle. First ventral 

 segment distinctly carinate. Elytra with distinct lateral edge, the 

 epipleune distinct and horizontal. Metasternal side pieces of mod- 

 erate width, the sides parallel. 



The following genera occur in our fauna : 



Middle coxte narrowly separated, the mesosternal elevation usually narrow, the 

 suture between it and the metasternum well marked Cercyoii. 



Middle coxte widely separated, the mesosternal elevation forming a rather broad 

 pentagonal area, which is closely united by its broad base with the meta- 

 sternum, the suture barely distinct PelosoiiiH. 



In these genera the joints of the antennal club are rather closely 

 articulated. The elytra are usually striate, but a good number have 

 merely rows of punctures. Several genera have been indicated, 

 which may be referred here, but one of them, Oostenmm, does not 

 seem to me separable from Cercyon. Sphferidium belongs here, but 



