No. 2365. tf EW BEETLES OF THE GENU8 AULICUS—SHAEFFER 157 



Prothorax black, coarsely and moderately closely punctate. Elytra 

 rather coarsely rugose, punctuation scarcely evident; basal part of 

 sutural vitta broad, of nearly equal width and wider than the red 

 humeral space; humeri without black spot; median vitta normally 

 broad and subtruncate laterally, but becoming much reduced by the 

 extension of the red humeral and postmedian spaces. Underside and 

 legs black, ventral segments at sides and fifth at apex largely red; 

 the latter moderately arcuate-emarginate in the male and all the claws 

 simple. Last dorsal segment at apex at most feebly emarginate. 

 Length, 10 mm. California (Wm. S. Gabb). 



Of this species I have seen only five specimens, all males, three from 

 the collection of Dr. George H. Horn and two from Mr. Charles 

 Liebeck, which all came undoubtedly from the same lot, and were, 

 according to Doctor Horn, collected in the coast region of southern 

 California or Lower California. 



The specimens do not agree exactly with Spinola's description of 

 the type, in which the median fascia of the elytra is absent, with only 

 the suture and apex blue, the ventral segments red. However, he 

 describes and figures a variation with median fascia, and with this 

 the above specimens agree fairly, and better in form, size, and markings 

 than any other species known to me. Mr. Sigmund Schenkling, who 

 has seen the type and other specimens in the Paris Museum, mentions 

 also the variability of the elytral maculation of this species. There is 

 a possibility that more than one species are included under that name 

 in the Paris Museum; but judging from the variation of the elytral 

 fascia in the five specimens before me, it is possible that specimens 

 occur with the fascia entirely absent. The extent of the red color on 

 the ventral segments is also variable in the few specimens, and 

 specimens may occur in which the black fasciae on the ventral seg- 

 ments are considerably reduced or entirely absent. In consideration 

 of all this I feel more inclined to accept Doctor Horn's identification 

 of these specimens than to give them a new name. 



This is one of the few large species of the genus and of more elongate 

 and slender form than nigriventris, the only other large species with 

 black head and prothorax, from which the form of the basal part 

 of the sutural vitta, the absence of the black humeral spot, the 

 ventral segments largely red at sides, etc., will separate it. The 

 sides of prothorax are broadly rounded in nigriventris, in nero more 

 feebly. The punctuation of the elytra in nero is feeble, almost 

 absent, but the surface is more or less and rather coarsely rugose. 



AULICUS DENTIPES, new species. 



Head black, coarsely and moderately closely punctate; palpi 

 black; antennae with the first four or five joints reddish, the outer 

 black. Prothorax black, moderately punctate. Elytra not densely 

 punctate, surface between the punctures more or less distinctly 



