Dec, i?ir.] Shaeffer: Notes on Chrysomelidje. 331 



Washington. 



I have also specimens from British Columbia collected by the late 

 J. Chr. Weidt. Two of the specimens from the latter locality are 

 dark brown with faint metallic tint and differ from confluens with 

 uniformly colored elytra in less elongate form and bicolored ventral 

 segments and legs. M. obsoleta has alv^s a pale lateral margin and 

 the ventral segments dark metallic bue, the last segment at apex and 

 sides and the penultimate at sides pale. 



Melasoma obsoleta Rog. 



This is a variable species. The darkest forms have the elytra 

 black or purplish black with pale lateral margin and the extreme 

 palest form has the elytra flavous with markings like scripta with 

 which specimens of the latter form are found in collections. Inter- 

 mediate forms between the two, elytra black with more or less distinct 

 pale spots, or the elytra pale with the dark spots and lines more or 

 less confluent are found together with the two extreme forms men- 

 tioned above. M. obsoleta is relatively shorter, more convex and has 

 the prothorax more transverse than M. scripta. 



Melasoma scripta var. texana new var. 



Form, size and coloration generally like typical scripta, but prothorax, 

 elytra and epipleura relatively more coarsely punctate. Head and prothorax 

 pale ferruginous with a faint metallic tint ; the median part of prothorax some- 

 times darker, but apparently never as decidedly metallic green as in typical 

 scripta or the maculate specimens of the var. confluens. Underside pale fer- 

 ruginous with metallic tint, sometimes abdomen and sides of metasternum 

 more or less metallic green. Legs pale with faint metallic tint, or tibiae darker 

 and femora largely metallic green. 



Brownsville and New Braunfels, Texas. 



The var. texana looks very distinct from typical scripta and macu- 

 late confluens and seems to be very near the Mexican M. depressa. 

 The third antennal joint is relatively a little longer than in typical 

 scripta. The head and prothorax is generally reddish with metallic 

 tint and the elytra are usually as heavy or heavier marked than in 

 typical scripta. 



Plagiodera flosculosa Stal. 



This is the Lina flosculosa of our list, which possibly does not 

 occur in the United States. Stal's specimen was without locality but 



