H. C. FALL. 



105 



REVISIOX OF THE SI»E<"IE« OF AI»IOM OF AMERICA 

 IVORTH OF MEXICO. 



BY H. C. FALL. 



The present essay is the second atteni])t to treat systematically the 

 species of Apiov. occurring within our faunal limits, the first having 

 been presented by Prof. John B. Smith- Trans. Am. Ent. Soc, 1884. 

 For various I'easons, chief among which perhaps are the brevity of 

 the descriptions and the failure to recognize sexual characters, this 

 paper has not proved as useful as was hoped ; and on undertaking 

 the study about a year ago, it was found that with the exception of 

 the material in the collections of Drs. LeConte and Horn, and the 

 National Museum, which had served as the basis of the paper 

 referred to, there was scarcely a collection in the country which 

 evinced more than a half hearted attempt at specific separation, to 

 say nothing of subsequent identification. Thus the time seems ripe 

 for a complete revision of the genus, and a study which was begun for 

 the sole purpose of separating the local material in my cabinet has 

 expanded until upward of fi»ur thousand individuals have been ex- 

 amined, including, in most cases, the entire material of Drs. Horn, 

 Hamilton and Dietz, INfessrs. Hubbard, Schwarz, Blanchard, Wick- 

 ham, Liebeck, Fuchs, Leng, Bowditch, Capt. Casey and the National 

 and Cambridge Museums. 



To all the above-named gentlemen I desire at the outset to ex- 

 press my appreciation of their most cordial response in the way of 

 material. I am, moreover, especially indebted to Dr. Horn and 

 Messrs. Blanchard and Schwarz for bibliographical assistance and 

 much kind advice and encouragement ; also to Messrs. Henshaw, 

 Howard and Linell for many courtesies extended during my visits 

 to the Cambridge and Washington Museums. 



It need hardly be said that the task has been for fi-om an easy one, 

 and none perhaps will realize its shortcomings more fully than my- 

 self; yet it is hoped that the results constitute at least a ^tep toward 

 a more exact knowledge of these interesting though much neglected 

 insects, and that the employment of characters which have been 

 found useful in the very large material before me will enable the 

 student, who possesses experience, tact and a fair series of specimens, 

 to place with reasonable certainty whatever comes before him. 



TRANS. AM. ENT. SOC. XXV. (14) OCTOBER, 1898. 



