June, 1914-] LeNG: NoTES ON SCAPHINOTUS. 143 



the elytral margin mentioned above The complete description is as 

 follows : 



Scaphinotus shoemaker! new subspecies. 



Black, with a dark violet shade, elytra violet ; ovate, margin of thorax 

 strongly reflexed, hind angles extending over the elytra, disk in part coarsely 

 punctured ; elytra with punctured striae, humeral angles rounded, with the 

 margin elevated, lateral margin becoming gradually less elevated towards apex, 

 interrupted behind the middle by a shallow emargination, as if to make a 

 recess for hind femora. Head black, rim punctured, feebly wrinkled behind 

 the eyes with an acute carina, strongly elevated at base of antennae ; thorax 

 black, tinged with violet, coarsely punctured at apex, base and in the angles 

 formed by the reflexed margins, which are strongly elevated so that the hind 

 angles are separated by but five millimeters, while the thorax at its widest 

 portion measures eight millimeters ; the edge is only moderately thickened ; 

 elytra ovate, short, slightly but continuously convex, violet, deeply striate, the 

 15 or 16 stride strongly punctured, towards tip and behind the subapical um- 

 bone the striae become obsolete and the punctuation confused ; the lateral 

 margin is strongly elevated at humeri and gradually descends in height, becom- 

 ing almost obsolete at apex ; a little behind the middle it is interrupted by a 

 sinuation. Beneath black, the inflexed portion of elytra coarsely punctate, the 

 body beneath feebly punctulate, thorax and abdomen impunctate. 



Male. — Tip of first tarsal joint, and all second, third and fourth joints 

 spongy pubescent beneath ; last ventral segment transversely concave, feebly 

 wrinkled and with three setigerous punctures on each side of apex. Length, 

 25-30 mm. Width, 13-15 mm. 



This subspecies probably inhabits many suitable locahties east of 

 the Allegheny Mts, The type and about fifty more specimens 1 have 

 seen come from Washington, D. C, and its vicinity in Virginia and 

 Maryland collected by Mr. Shoemaker and Mr. Davis. Mr, Shoe- 

 maker tells me the largest number were taken in Virginia under 

 stones, logs and leaves or in bait bottles along the Potomac River 

 above the free bridge, along the path or beside it and especially under 

 stones about a spring. The path passes through dense woods near the 

 foot of a steep hill. Fewer were taken in Maryland, along the bank 

 of the stream above the Cabin John Bridge, and a few have also been 

 taken along Rock Creek and in Rock Creek Park in the District of 

 Columbia. The localities are all heavily wooded and abounding in 

 snails. The dates of capture are principally September but specimens 

 have also been found in June and August. The figure has been drawn 

 from the male by Ernest Shoemaker; it represents the insect twice 

 life size and the underside of the anterior tarsus still more enlarged 

 as well as the posterior coxa. 



