NORTH AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. 
19 
Form subdepressed; thorax distinctly rugulose iu front; posterior coxal 
plates obliterated externally. 
Thorax simply emarginate in front; no ventral sexual characters in either 
sex dispersiis. 
Thorax sinuate each side at apex, the middle somewhat elevated and pro- 
longed over the head ; second ventral of 9 with oval pubescent 
spot gra<lariiis. 
Form convex; thorax simply a little more coarsely punctate in front; pos- 
terior coxal plates not obliterated externally ; sides of thorax sinuate 
in front of hind angles tuniesceiis* 
Carina of hind angles of thorax very short, not extending beyond the angles. 
Piceous, faintly bronzed ; sides of thorax sinuate in front of hind angles, 
these distinctly divergent iniisciilus. 
Brownish opaque; sides of thorax straight posteriorly, the hind angles not 
divergent diibitis. 
It will be observed that two European species are introduced in 
the table, the names in italics. These have been the cause of much 
of the trouble experienced in identifying our species. On several 
occasions specimens have come to me labeled dermestoides with quad- 
riguttaim as a variety- Whether that is the view generally held in 
Europe is hardly my province to investigate, but there is no question 
in my mind that they are two well defined species easily separated 
by the sexual characters of the male. I find no mention made of 
the latter in any literature examined, they have even escaped the 
acute observation of C. G. Thomson. 
C. Melsheiiiieri n. sp.— Oblong, moderately convex, piceous black shining, 
sparsely finely pubescent, each elytron with a humeral and subapical yellow spot; 
antennae slender, feebly serrate, joints all longer than wide, ferruginous, joints 
2-3 paler, basal joint darker; head slightly convex, punctate, somewhat asper- 
ate; thorax wider than long, narrowed in front, sides arcuate, straight for a 
short distance near base, hind angles broad, but acute, at tip, the carina extend- 
ing finely three-fourths to apex ; disc convex, shining, asperately punctate in 
front, gradually evanescent behind and quite smooth near the base, median line 
distinctly smoother in front; elytra as wide at base as the thorax, humeri ob- 
tuse, sides nearly parallel, arcuately narrowed at apical third, apices obtuse, disc 
striate, strise extremely finely punctate, intervals slightly convex, sparsely mi- 
nutely punctulate, the humeral spot small, rhomboidal, the subapical round • 
prosternum sparsely punctate, more coarsely and closely in front, the lobe mod- 
erately prominent, rather obtuse, prosternal sutures widely double, smooth, 
grooved nearly their entire length, propleurje feebly shining, punctures fine and 
close; metasternum moderately closely punctate, the last segment more densely 
and opaque; legs pale rufo-testaceous. the femora slightly darker. Leno^th 2 
2.25 mm. ; .08 — .09 inch. 
The first ventral segment of the male has a flattened space at 
middle, in the centre of which is a slightly elevated broad tubercle. 
