Sept., I9I7-] Schaeffer: On Merium and Some Callidium. 183 



ON MERIUM AND SOME BLUE CALLIDIUM (COL.). 



By Chas. Schaeffer, 

 Brooklyn, N. Y. 



Merium proteus Kirby. 



Merium bifossulatum Casey, Mem. Col., Ill, 191-2, p. 286. 

 The characters given in the description of bifossulatum to separate 

 it from proteus do not hold good. I have protons from Hudson Bay 

 Territory and a moderately large series from Alaska collected some 

 years ago by my brother. In these the coloration and especially the 

 sculpture of prothorax and elytra differ greatly. The color of pro- 

 thorax may be bluish or greenish and the elytra has either a bluish 

 or greenish tint or is entirely pale without any metallic reflection. 

 The sculpture of prothorax of the females is extremely variable; not 

 two specimens of my series are alike. One specimen has the disk of 

 prothorax entirely smooth except at apex, with one puncture on each 

 side of the median line ; another specimen, the extreme of my series, 

 is rather heavily punctured on each side of the median line from apex 

 to nearly to base, defining not only a broad, smooth median line but 

 also a smooth line on each side near the rugosely punctate lateral 

 area. The " subtransverse concavities " on the posterior part of pro- 

 thorax may be more or less distinct or absent and more or less heavily 

 punctured or smooth. The females seem to be much more variable 

 than the males; the latter, at least in my series, show very little 

 variation in regard to the sculpture of prothorax. The median part 

 of prothorax is smooth and either with a few or without any punc- 

 tures; the antennae are a little longer and slightly stouter, the femora 

 a little more clavate and the lateral area slightly more finely sculp- 

 tured in the male than in the female. The sculpture of elytra in both 

 sexes is also variable especially in about apical half. 



Callidium antennatum Newm. 



The form of prothorax differs much in this species, also the length 

 of antennae. The sculpture of elytra varies to some extent and the 

 raised lines may be present or not. A single specimen from Oregon 

 does not differ from typical antennatum. 



