74 KANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES OF NORTH AMERICAN 



COLEOPTERA. 



BY DR. JNO. L. LE CONTE AND DR. GEO. H. HORN, OF PHILADELPHIA. 



1. Cychrus (Scaphinotus) Snowi Lee. Black, without purple tinge. Head 

 impunctured. Prothorax densely punctured, about one-third wider than 

 long. Sides thickened and reflexed, more widely towards the base, which is 

 strongly emarginate in an arc of a circle; tip also emarginate, but less deeply; 

 dorsal line well impressed, transverse impressions deep, basal impressions 

 indistinct, lost in the concavity produced by the reflexed margin. Elytra 

 suboval, not dilated behind, lateral margin strong, wider about the humeri, 

 which are rounded; strise 14 or 15, distinctly impressed except the outer 

 ones, which are confused ; punctures of the strise deep, distant a little more 

 than their diameter. Flanks of prothorax not punctured ; epipleurse, sides 

 of meso- and metathorax, and first ventral segments coarsely punctured. 

 Length 9 mm. 



One male. The front tarsi have the joints 1-3 moderately dilated, and 

 spongy pubescent beneath over the whole surface, as in C. Andrewsii. This 

 is a very singular species ; the sides of the prothorax are thicker than in any 

 other, and nearly as widely reflexed towards the base, as in C. elevatus, though 

 the hind angles are not prolonged, nor is the humeral margin of the elytra 

 as wide: the tarsi, as just stated, are as in C. Andrewsii, while the punctured 

 prothorax distinguishes it at first sight from all the other species of the group. 

 Collected in Santa Fe, canon, New Mexico, (altitude, 7,000 feet,) by the 

 Kansas University Scientific Expedition for 1880. 



2. Platynus nivalis Horn. Slender, elongate, piceous, moderately shining. 

 Head narrow, eyes not prominent. Antennae nearly half as long as the body. 

 Thorax elongate oval, narrower at base, sides in front arcuate, posteriorly 

 slightly sinuate, hind angles obtuse but distinct, margin narrowly reflexed, 

 disc slightly convex, median line moderately impressed, basal impressions 

 feeble and with the lateral margin slightly punctured. Elytra elongate oval, 

 humeri rounded, apex sinuate, suture at tip slightly dehiscent, sides with 

 narrow reflexed margin, disc feebly convex, moderately deeply striate, striae 

 finely crenately punctured, intervals slightly convex. Anterior tibiae with 

 terminal spur stouter than the upper, the tarsus without median groove on the 

 upper side. Length .50 inch; 12.5 mm. 



This species belongs to Le Coute's group A., (Bull. Brookl. Ent. Soc. II., 

 p. 45,) and should be placed after Jejunus Lee, from which it differs more 

 especially in the deep and punctured elytrial striae. It forms a lead toward 

 hypoUthus by this character. One specimen, female, collected by Prof. F. 

 H. Snow, in Santa Fe canon. New Mexico, at an elevation of 7,000 feet. 



