COLEOPTERA. 15 



middle, and extending posteriorly a distance equal to one-third the entire 

 length. Elytra at base very slightly wider than the head, sides slightly 

 divergent posteriorly and evenly arcuate, very slightly longer than width at 

 base; together broadly and moderately emarginate posteriorly, outer apical 

 emarginations distinct; suture but slightly longer than the pronotum ; sur- 

 face evenly convex, rather coarsely, evenly, and exceedingly closely punc- 

 tured, punctures elongated longitudinally near the suture, interspaces very 

 acute; just -behind the centre of each elytron there is a nearly circular 

 reddish-orange spot. Abdominal segments decreasing uniformly and very 

 gradually in width, first somewhat narrower than the contiguous elytra, 

 border moderate ; surface convex, finely, feebly, and closely punctulate ; 

 transverse carinae not cusped. Legs very long and slender, throughout 

 entirely black ; first joint of posterior tarsi more than twice as long as the 

 second, as long as the next three together. Under surface of the abdomen 

 much more finely punctulate than the upper. 



Male. — Posterior edge of fifth ventral segment emarginate in its middle 

 third, emargination evenly rounding, eight times as wide as deep, somewhat 

 indefinitely terminated ; surface at first somewhat strongly and conically, 

 then very feebly and cylindrically impressed anteriorly ; sixth segment 

 broadly and deeply incised at apex, notch triangular, three times as wide 

 as deep, bottom rounded ; surface very feebly and cylindrically impressed ; 

 seventh segment deeply emarginate at tip and deeply impressed dorsally. 



Female. — Sixth ventral segment generally evenly rounded behind, and 

 almost imperceptibly produced at the apex. 



Length 4.4-5.0 mm. 



Pennsylvania, 9 ; Ohio, 2 ; British Columbia, 4 ; Washington 

 Territory, 7. 



This species appears to vary considerably; the spots are sometimes 

 small, rounded, and of a distinctly rufous-orange tint ; in other speci- 

 mens, generally from the Pacific coast, they are larger, of a more pure 

 rlavate color, and occasionally nearly quadrate. 



There is one specimen before me, which after long deliberation I 

 have concluded to unite with this species; it lias the tarsi distinctly 

 shorter and more robust, and the anterior margin of the prothorax 

 slightly more arcuate, the entire form rather more slender, the sexual 

 characters precisely the same ; it is from British Columbia, and I 

 prefer at present to consider it as a slightly aberrant specimen. 



S. comma Lee. does not differ from this species to any perceptible 

 extent. 



3. S. colon Say. — Form slender. Pubescence of head, pronotum, and 



elytra exceedingly sparse and fine ; that of the dorsal surface of abdomen, 

 short, moderately close, yellowish, and setiform. Head slightly more than 

 twice as wide as long; interocular surface deeply excavated, three times as 

 wide as the eye; longitudinal elevation not well developed; punctuation 

 close and deep ; ocular lines meeting at about five lengths in advance : 



