June, I9I3-] ROBERTS : NOTES ON HaLIPLID.E OF AMERICA. 99 



bridge (U. S. Natl. Mus.), Mass.. and from N. Y. City and Riverside, 

 Conn. (Roberts). 



Thirty odd specimens before me show Httle tendency to variation 

 in size or markings. When any coalescence of the spots appears it 

 is by Hnes extending perpendicularly, following a stria, rather than 

 transversely with a tendency to form bands, as in punctatits. 



The species triopsis, punctatiis, suturalis and leopardus, with per- 

 haps deccptus, form a natural group from the similarity of struc- 

 tural characters and the presence of the black spot on anterior mar- 

 gin of the pronotum. As in fasciafus and connexus many of the 

 specimens show more or less distinct traces of two spots situated 

 each side on base of pronotum. Leopardus should at once be sepa- 

 rated by its large size, large spots, more rotund shape and the punc- 

 tured trochanters, suturalis by its color, more orange than lemon yel- 

 low, its small spots and size, the very narrow black border to the 

 suture and base of elytra and absence of denticulation to the apices. 



Large series of both triopsis and punctatus show considerable 

 variation in size, the former ranging from 3^/2 to 4 mm. in length and 

 from 2 to 2I/2 mm. in width while the latter varies from 3 to 3^ in 

 length and from i^ to 2 in width, punctatus being rather the smaller 

 and more slender of the two. 



In triopsis the pronotum is distinctly impressed at base while in 

 punctatus it is not, or scarcely perceptibly so. 



The elytral punctures of the former are coarse and shallow, while 

 in the latter they are deep and closely placed. 



In punctatus the prosternal process is more sharply margined and 

 these margins are more decidedly roughened by the deeply and 

 closely placed punctures, while the front or apical margin is quite 

 distinctly and sharply angulate at middle ; margins of mid-metaster- 

 num more sharp and fine and not so widely separated; denticulation 

 of apices of elytra finer, almosit obsolete ; hind coxae not so broadly 

 rounded towards the suture, the interior angle being quite sharp. 



The punctuation in punctatus is deeper and more closely placed 

 all through; the color ferruginous, not testaceus or fulvous; the spots 

 large and more or less dilated and frequently so confluent as to form 

 irregular bars across the elytra. While triopsis is widely distributed, 

 being found almost everywhere east of the Rockies, punctatus seems 

 only to be found in the south, being quite common in Florida. 



