AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. 169 



beneath or papillose, the distinction being for me of some importance 

 and is made use of in several instances for the separation of species. 



The characters above mentioned with others of minor importance 

 have induced me to adopt nearly all the divisions which have already 

 been proposed. Splise,roderus and Scaphinotus are in the books since 

 many years, while Brennus and Pemphus are due to Motschulsky, 

 who, while recognizing the fact that they should be distinct, gave no 

 characters of value for their separation. I adopt the names in order 

 that any further increase of nomenclature may be avoided. 



Briefly defined these divisions are as follows : 



Anterior tarsi broadly dilated in the male. 

 Genae dilated covering the maxillae. 



Legs stout, femora subclavate SPH^RODERUS. 



Anterior tarsi narrowly dilated in the male, the dilated joints always longer 

 than wide. 



Gense not dilated, maxillse exposed, legs slender SCAPHINOTUS. 



Gense dilated, maxillse covered. 



Inner lobe of maxillse with a row of long stiff bristles, legs very 

 elongate, the posterior unequal in the sexes. Elytra very feebly 



sculptured PEMPHUS. 



Inner lobe of maxillse with at most a few hairs and some silken 

 pubescence, legs moderate, similar in the sexes. Elytra striate or 



punctate BRENNUS. 



Anterior tarsi of male not at all dilated. 



Gense dilated, covering the maxillse, legs moderately stout CYCHRUS, 



Regarding the validity of these divisions as genera, there has been 

 and still may be some doubt. The characters seem to have full 

 generic value and are so considered in other parts of the Carabide 

 series. One thing appears quite certain ; if either one of the above 

 divisions is distinct from any other, they are all distinct among them- 

 selves, the only doubtful case being Pemphus. 



SPH.^RODERUS Dej. 



Head moderately elongate, more or less constricted behind the 

 eyes, gula deeply transversely impressed ; genae moderately expanded 

 covering the base of the maxillas with very feeble trace of incisure. 

 Antennae slender, about half the length of the bod}', first joint 

 -moderately stout and longer than the third. Legs stout, the femora 

 moderately clavate. Elytra regularly oval or oboval, striate stri^ punc- 

 tured. Anterior tarsi of male broadly dilated and densely spongy 

 pubescent beneath on the first three joints, the fourth with a few 

 papillce. 



The elytral sculpture exhibits a tendency to vary from the striate style 



TRANS. AMER. ENT. SOC. VII. (22) DECEMBER, 1878. 



