NORTH AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. 
27 
obliqiiatiilus Mels. — Oblong, moderately convex, pi ceo us, thorax some- 
what paler in color, very sparsely pubescent, antennfe and legs testaceous; an- 
tennse slender, feebly serrate, joints all longer than wide; head sparsely punc- 
tate ; thorax a little wider than long, slightly narrowed in front, widest at middle, 
sides regularly arcuate, sinuate in front of the hind angles, which are small, 
acute, and very slightly divergent, the carina fine, and. when seen from above, 
directed nearly straight to the front, disc moderately convex, sparsely equally 
punctate, the median smooth line very faint; elytra slightly wider than the 
thorax, humeri very little oblique, sides regularly arcuate, widest at middle, disc 
entirely without striae, more sparsely and finely punctured than the thorax, color 
piceous, on each elytron an oblique yellowish band reaching the margin, but not 
the suture, an oval apical spot of variable size also yellow ; prosternum sparsely 
punctate, and with two transverse impressions, the lobe moderately prominent, 
but obtusely rounded in front, the border finely beaded, propleurae shining, more 
sparsely and finely punctate than the sternum ; metasternum minutely and in- 
distinctly punctate, abdomen more densely and coarsely. Length 2.25 — 2.75 mm. ; 
.09 — .11 inch. 
Usually the underside of the body is much paler than the upper, 
especially in the prothorax and the elytral epipleurie. The color 
and markings seem to be very constant, and vary but little beyond 
that caused by varying degrees of maturity. 
The males have a small, densely punctured space at the middle 
of the prosternum, usually more pubescent, but never as distinct as 
in pectoralis. 
Distributed from Canada aud the New England States southward 
to Virginia and westward to Iowa. 
C. pectoralis Say. — Oblong, feebly convex, subopaque, sparsely finely pu- 
bescent, color variable from entirely yellow to entirely piceous ; antennte slender, 
feebly serrate, joints all longer than wide, yellowish testaceous ; head moderately 
closely punctate, front fiat; thorax usually as wide as long, sometimes slightly 
longer, slightly narrowed in front, widest at middle, sides arcuate, scarcely 
sinuate in front of the hind angles, which are S7nall, acute, but not divergent, 
the carina, when viewed from above, turned externally, disc very distinctly and 
rather closely punctate, the median smooth line usually evident; elytra slightly 
wider than the thorax, humeri slightly oblique, sides arcuate, disc without strife, 
surface less distinctly punctate than the thorax; prosternum moderately closely 
punctate, transverse impression not well marked, the lobe moderately prominent, 
subtruncate in front, propleurfe- punctate similarly to the sternum ; metasteruum 
punctate similarly to the prosternum, the abdomen much more finely and densely. 
Length 1.5 — 3 mm. ; .06 — .12 inch. 
The males of this species have a small, but densely punctured 
s]iot at the middle of prosternum from which arises a bunch of longer 
pubescence. The pubescence is often absent, except in well preserved 
specimens. 
This species varies greatly in color, and has been given three 
names in consequence. These varieties may be de.scribed as follows : 
