AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. ° ' J 



.laevis. 



8. 



7 -Epipleurae suddenly broader at base: elytra smooth. 



Epipleurae gradually broader from apex to base 



8.-E P ipleurae nearly smooth ; elytra faintly punctured.... 



Epipleurae punctured and hairy prodnctusi 



y.-Form oblong; elytra finely reticulate 1 V 



Form oval ; elytra with faint traces of costae ".'„ 111 . i o-.t..V 



Form oval, verv convex, elytra submurieate • , » ,,r,c «" " 



With the exception of reticulata, which occurs on the plains, all the 

 above species are found west of the Rocky Mountains, from Oregon to 

 Cape St. Lucas. Other species occur in Mexico. 

 CORPHYRA Say. 

 In the Transactions for 1871 (p. 228-233) I gave a synopsis of the 

 species then known to us, with full descriptions. In that paper four- 

 teen species were admitted. After the return of Mr. Crotch from Call- 

 forma in 1873, his material was placed in my hands and six new species 

 were described, one of which I now believe to be a variety. At the time 

 these latter were described other engagements prevented me from bring- 

 ing all our species together in one table, and only those from the west 

 colst were treated (Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. 1874, pp. 40-43). 



The object of the present essay is to bring them all together with such 

 short notes as will enable them to be easily recognized. 



The discovery of a new species in Nevada introduces an entirely new 

 •element in the series, vis., nabellate antennae in the male with the sec- 

 ond and third joints moniliform. 



Another series of characters which have been regarded in the separa- 

 tion of species is found in the form of the male sexual apparatus 

 (oedeaaus). These I have not attempted to describe, but the accom- 

 panying sketches will give an idea of the variations. The organ is com- 

 posed of two semitubular pieces, variously modified at the free end. A 

 lateral view shows the organ to be more or less curved upwards near the 

 tip, except in inconsficua, where it is absolutely straight. Through the 

 centre of the tube formed by the lateral pieces a membranous ube 

 passes, which is of somewhat denser structure near the tip. fins tube 

 I capable of considerable extension and is the efferent duct, or penis 

 properly speaking. The figures on PL IX, figs. 11-18 give a lateral and 

 an under view of the organ; in many cases it is absolutely idenUcal in 

 several species. I have not seen that of C. cyanipennu, but believe it 

 will be found to resemble fig. 18. 



The modifications in the form of the end of the complex organ have 

 had considerable weight in causing me to retain several species apart, 

 while I have used apparently trivial characters to indxcate their differ- 



ences. 



~. july, 1883. 



tua.ns. aver. knt. soc. x. {"i 



