AMERICAN COLEOPTEKA. 77 



The species are usually found on flowers ; plentifully enough where 

 they occur, but they seem to be local ; in two instances I have found 



A. rufa under the bark of a decaying tree, in considerable numbers. 

 Dr. LeConte states that " in the % two long slender appendages are 



seen proceeding from between the fourth and fifth ventral segments," 

 and I have followed him in the diagnosis of the genus. I must admit 

 however that I have been entirely unable to discover these processes, 

 although I have examined hundreds of specimens of A. rufa to this end 

 alone. Vsl found with the excavated ventral segments* but never the 

 processes. The mouth parts and feet are shown PI. I, figs. 14 — 18. 



A.— Body entirely black. 



Thorax twice as wide as long; base of antennpe, palpi and front legs testaceous; 



% with the ventral segments strongly channelled. 3 — 4 mm. ; Lake Superior, 



Hudson's Bay Territory, Vermont, New York 1. nigra. 



Thorax one-half wider than long; mouth and base of antennre very dark 



testaceous. 3 — 4 mm.; California and Colorado 2. atra. 



Thorax scarcely wider than long, base of antennse and feet dark testaceous; 



elytra with a rufous humeral spot. 3 mm.; California 3. militaris. 



B. — Head, thorax and body black, elytra brownish-yellow. 



Thorax scarcely wider than long. 4 mm.; California and Sitka. ..4. sericea. 

 Thorax one-half wider than long. 3—4 mm.; New York, Georgia. Minnesota. 



5. flavipemiis. 

 C. — Thorax and elytra brownish-yellow. 



Thorax one-half wider than long, head yellow or more or less piceous; antennse 

 and abdomen yellow or fuscous. 3 — 4 mm.; Southern, Middle and Western 



States 6. rufa. 



Thorax nearly twice as wide as long; entirely uniform yellowish-brown; more 



robust than the preceding. 1 mm.; Col., Des. A Cal 7. pusio. 



D. — Thorax yellow ; elytra and body black. 



Thorax a little wider than long; anterior and middle thighs partly testaceous; 

 transverse lines of elytra more distinct than usual. 3 mm.; California. 



8. collaris. 



1. A. nigra Hald. (Hallomenus), Journ. Ac. Nat. Sc. Phila. New Series, i, 99; 

 Lee. Pr. Ac. Nat. Sc. Phila. xiv, 45, (Ananpis). 



Very rare apparently ; only single specimens coming from various 

 sections. One specimen from the vicinity of Ithaca, N. Y., and one 

 from Vermont are all that I have seen. The insect is readily recognized 

 by the robust form. 



2. A. atra Lee. Ann. Lyceum Nat. Hist. N. V. v. 107. (PI. I, fig. 20). 



More common than the former and readily distinguished from it by 

 the more elongate and slender form. I have received it from Colorado, 

 (Prof. Snow). 



3. A. militaris sp. nov. (PI. 1, tig. 21 j. 



Of the same form as the preceding, but at once distinguishable 



(20) 



