118 AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. 



For the present I have phiced hei'e two or three small "examples 

 from Florida, which differ only in tiie absence of the femoral ridge. 

 It is more than likely that they are distinct, but I am unwilling to 

 separate them on this chai'acter alone without more abundant mate- 

 rial. It is quite certain that Gerstaecker had before him a member 

 of the })resent group, but as no sexual characters are mentioned his 

 description applies about equally well to any one of several species. 

 The locality named — North America — is a trifle too indefinite to 

 ofler any clew, but as his type is, without much doubt, from the 

 Eastern United States, I have selected the above species as the one — 

 all things considered — he is most likely to have had in hand. 



As here defined, melanarium is one of a group of species so closely 

 resembling one another superficially that in the absence of sexual 

 characters their proper separation has hitherto been impossible. 

 These are melanarium, pennsylvanicum, impunctistriatum and virile. 

 Of these, the first three are to be found in the Eastern United 

 States. Impunctistriatum may always be known by the coarsely, 

 densely punctate, ventral surface. Its range is also less northern 

 and eastern than the other two ; Northern Illinois and Western 

 Pennsylvania being the limits so far as known in the.se directions. 

 Both melanarium and pentisylvanicum are rather common in the 

 Northeastern States, the former occurring westward to Iowa and 

 Texas, and the latter extending entirely across the continent toward 

 the northern boundary and down either coast to Florida and So. Cali- 

 fornia. In melanarium the elytra are noticeably narrower, and the 

 front thighs of the male are strongly tuberculate ; while in pennsyl- 

 vanicum., with more ample elytra, the front thighs of the males are 

 merely swollen toward the tip. Unless accompanied by males, the 

 separation of the females is a difficult matter, even to the experi- 

 enced student. I have never noticed in melanarium that extreme 

 development of the beak and first antennal joint which is not 

 infrequently seen in pennsylvanicum. Virile nearly agrees with 

 melanarium in the prominent femoral tubercle, which is here, how- 

 ever, closely, plainly striate, while in melanarium it is smooth and 

 not, or scarcely visibly, striate. It occurs in Colorado. 



12. A. floridanuin Smith. — Very narrow, black, legs and antennae dark 

 rufous; pubescence very inconspicuous. Beak {%) rather stout, cylindrical, evi- 

 dently shorter than the head and prothorax, very slightly dilated ; surface dull 

 at base, gradually more shining toward the tip, very obsoletely punctulate. First 

 antennal joint equal to the next two, second scarcely reaching the eye. Front 

 canaliculate; eyes rather prominent. Prothorax longer than wide, cylindrical; 



