522 NOTES ON LACHNOSTERNA. 



rather imperfectly chitinized, yet not membranous. In the females of 

 all th<' species the corneous characters seem to have disappeared. 

 There is nothing visible. In the common tristis I have closely examined 

 many specimens, both fresh and dried, without finding any definite 

 structures. All the species in this group are closely related, lenis be- 

 ing perhaps most distinct, and they illustrate the extreme of simplicity 

 found in this genus, so far as sexual characters are concerned, illustrat- 

 ing also the extreme of development in anteunal structure. 



85. L. antennata Smith. 



This species is intermediate between tristis and crinita, while evi- 

 dently distinct from both. It has the size, vestiture, aud general habi- 

 tus of tristis, but the smooth, shining surface of crinita. The antenna 

 have the club distinctly longer than the stem, and much longer than 

 in tristis, without attaining the abnormal development of crinita. The 

 female is recognizable by the shining surface, associated with the ves- 

 titure of tristis. 



Size of tristis. 



Habitat. — Texas, Belfrage. 



The Museum collection contains a long series of males, aud but a sin- 

 gle female. There is no variation whatever, except a very slight one in 

 size. The sexual ventral characters are as in tristis. I have seen other 

 specimens than these in the Museum collection, and all are from Texas. 

 It is probably common. 



The remarks uuder crinita will apply as well to this species, so far as 

 the genitalia are concerned. 



86. L. tristis Fabe. 



The Museum series contains 47 $ , 51 9 (all from coll. C. V. R. aud J. 

 B. S.). The localities are New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Dis- 

 trict of Columbia, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Hampshire, 

 Kansas, Wisconsin, central Missouri, Iowa, central Illinois, Texas. The 

 dates on the specimens range from April 20 to June 23. The former 

 from central Missouri, the latter from New Hampshire. For dates of 

 occurrence in the District of Columbia see introductory remarks. 



In this species there is little variation, except in size, aud this ranges 

 from .35-.60 inch, the smallest specimens being from Kansas. The ven- 

 tral characters are not strongly marked, and the variations pointed out 

 by Dr. Horn are distinctly seen in the series. The smoother, more shin- 

 ing surface in southern aud western species is conspicuous, as is also 

 the uniformly smaller size. In addition, the pubescence of elytra be- 

 comes decidedly shorter and more sparse, and the club of antenna is 

 somewhat longer. In neither direction, however, does the species in- 

 terfere with antennata. Nothing more need be said about the genitalia. 



87. L. lenis Horn. 



We have 3 $ from Arizona (coll. C. V. R.), all as nearly alike as pos- 

 sible. Nothing need be said about the male genitalia, save that they 



