AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. 101 



Revision or the species of some genera of BUPRES1 I DJE. 



BY GEORGE H. HORN, M. D. 



The genera here reviewed belong to the group Anthaxise of the tribe 

 Buprestini as defined in our fauna, they are three in number and may 

 be separated in the following manner : 



Mentum coriaceous in front; prothorax sinuate at base Melanophila. 



Mentum entirely corneous. 



Prothorax truncate at base; front not margined at sides; antennae serrate in 



both sexes A utliaxia. 



Prothorax sinuate at base; front slightly margined over the insertion of the 



antennse which are flabellate % , serrate 9 Xenorliipis. 



The first two genera are represented on both sides of the continent. 

 Xenorhiph occurs in the Atlantic region and is extremely rare. Of its 

 habits nothing is known. 



nEL4BJOPHILA Esch. 



The species of this genus are not numerous in our fauna, but in times 

 past their number was exaggerated by too great a regard for the variations 

 of the elytral markings. 



In our series we have three types indicated by external form and 

 general aspect — first, the Chrysobothris type represented by Drummondi 

 which seems to occur in the entire subarctic region of the northern 

 hemisphere; second, the Anthaxia type represented by the first five 

 species of the annexed table one of which from its wide distribution 

 in our fauna is probably distributed in the same manner as Drum- 

 mondi, as it is possible that appendiculata. is not a distinct species ; 

 finally, a group of five species which does not resemble any other 

 genus in our fauna. 



The elytral markings of all the species seem to me to be deriva- 

 tives of a type of which miranda is the most perfect exemplification. 

 By a study of the sketches in the annexed plate one can realize how 

 the very perfect markings of miranda become reduced to the macu- 

 late form by a gradual extension of the black, or contraction of the 

 yellow markings. 



In two species, longipes and atropurpurea, I have never observed 

 any specimens with elytral spots. The same is also true of gentilis, 

 seneola, intrusa and obtusa. Two species, fulvoguttata and Drum- 

 mondi, vary from three or four spots on each elytron to none at all. 

 In all the specimens of miranda that I have seen there is practically 

 no variation. 



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