136 Journal New York Entomological Society. [VoI. xxviil 



THE GROUP TRACHES IN NORTH AMERICA. 



PART I. 



THE GENERA PACHYSCHELUS AND TAPHROCERUS. 



By Alan S. Nicolay and Harry B. Weiss, 

 New Brunswick, N. J. 



Of all the buprestid genera in North America, not any are in more 

 confusion at the present time than Pachysclichts, Brachys and Taph- 

 roccrus, which taken together comprise the group Trachcs. This 

 name was used by Kerremans to cover those species having the 

 median coxae more distant than the anterior ones, the anterior mar- 

 gins of the posterior coxse slightly concave or slightly dilated at the 

 sides and the tarsi very short. In this group he placed seventeen 

 genera only three of which are included in our fauna. Le Conte and 

 Horn referred to these forms as Brachcs but Trachcs has priority. 

 The members of the genus Rhccboscclis possess confluent eyes and 

 have larval habits somewhat similar to those of the Brachcs but in 

 structure strongly resemble the tribe Agrilcs. Here they were placed 

 by Kerremans following the genus Agrilus and for the present we 

 think it is best to keep them in this latter group. 



Were we to follow the correct sequence in taking up these genera, 

 Pachyschcliis would come first, followed by Brachys and Taphroccrns. 

 Unfortunately, however, this paper must be divided into two parts 

 and as the Brachys will require at least another year's study, we are 

 taking the liberty of reversing the arrangement to the extent of pre- 

 senting the genera Pachyschcliis and Taphroccrns together with a 

 general introduction in this part. Part H^ will deal exclusively with 

 the genus Brachys. 



In the '' Genera Insectorum," Kerremans lists some 147 species of 



Pachyschelus, 89 of which were known to him. All but a very few 



species which are confined to the Malay Archipelago and one in 



Madagascar, occur on the American continent, but the great majority 



1 Part il on the genus Brachys will appear at a later date. 



