82 



the anterior tubercles of the tliorax do not seem to be a denti- 

 form continuation of the angles, as in C ITcnfzn, but appear 

 rather like tubercles implanted within emarginations. So also 

 the posterior tubercles are placed rather below the plane of 

 the disk of the thorax in the Carolinian insect j and are separ- 

 ated from it by a conspicuous furrow, which is not so apparent 

 in O. ffentzii, in which the tubercles are more nearly in the 

 same plane as the disk. I would call the Carolinian insect 

 C. K-nochii., in honor of the founder of the genus, and because 

 it approaches considerably to the C. castanece of that author. 



From what you say respecting Lebia j^iciticoUis Say, and the 

 variety, I can have no doubt respecting the insects to which 

 you refer, and believe them to be those described by Prof. Say. 

 I am not equally certain that he was correct in considering the 

 variety as referable to his jjIaticoUis ; it appears to me, on a 

 careful examination, to be entitled to consideration as a distinct 

 species. Both belong to the genus Cymind'is, as defined by 

 Dejean, and the platicollis which I last sent you is certainly C. 

 complanata Dejean. Since seeing his description I have la- 

 belled the variety in my cabinet with this name, C. comma. It 

 differs, as you say, in being uniformly larger, the thorax pro- 

 portionally smaller, the margin more dilated, and in having 

 a wider ochreous elytral margin, Avitli a humeral lunule of the 

 same color. I have never found it associated with ^^?a^«Vo?- 

 li%. It is true that Dejean has been accused of multiplying 

 species too much, but this is rather a convenience to the stu- 

 dent. However, his work will prove to you that we have 

 several species of Brachinus distinct from the crepitans and 

 fumann. Nothing universally decisive is to be inferred respect- 

 ing identity of species from seeing them sub copula. Different 

 species of Coccinella are known to mix in this way ; and I once 

 captured a male Elater ap2)ress7f7'ons united to a female U. hre- 

 vicornis, and have the sexes of each of these species, I once 

 captured numerous specimens of a small Trichius (supposed to 

 be the canaliculatus of Fabr.) in a decayed apple-tree stump. 



