Horn.] «")0-J [June 20, 



finely punctulate. Meso-metasternal plate shining, very minutely puuc- 

 tulate. Legs paler than the under surface. Length .03 inch ; .75 mm. 

 Occurs in the Middle States region. 



B. tantillus, Lee. loc. cit., p. 391. 



Larger, more broadly oval and less convex than the preceding species. 

 Thorax more coarsely punctured. Elytra with subhumeral stria abbre- 

 viated at base and subobsolete at apex, first dorsal apical, attaining the 

 middle only. Pygidium coarsely punctured. Meso-metasternal plate 

 spatsely punctured. Length .04 inch ; 1 mm. 



Occurs from Pennsylvania to Louisiana. 



B. punetiformis, Lee. loc. cit., p. 288. 



Similar in form to misellus. Thorax similarly punctured. Elytra 

 without subhumeral stria, first dorsal entire broadly arching at base, sur- 

 face densely aciculately punctured and with a substrigose aspect. Py- 

 gidium coarsely but not densely punctured. Meso-metasternal plate 

 densely foveato-punctate. Length .03 inch ; .75 mm. 



Occurs in Pennsylvania, Florida, Missouri. 

 AcKiTUS. Lee. 



This genus contains the most minute species of the family. It may be 

 at once known by the four-jointed hind tarsi. Bacanms bears a super- 

 ficial resemblance to Acritus, but may be known by the five-jointed hind 

 tarsi, the prosternum slightly lobed in front and without striae, and the 

 form of the tibia^. They have in common, however, the prominent, 

 coarsely granulated eye, in front of which the antennal scai)e is lodged, 

 when at rest, in a deej) groove. 



The four-jointed hind tarsus results from the union of the first two 

 joints, consequently the first joint thus formed is long, always equal to 

 the two following united, and in the majority of cases much longer. The 

 scutellum is small and difficult to see from the very fine sutures between 

 it and adjacent parts, and although small it is proportionately as large as 

 in many Saprinus. Several species I find to be totally deprived of scutel- 

 lum between the basal angles of the elytra ; these I have separated as a 

 distinct genus. 



• As thus restricted our species are as follows : 

 Thorax without basal transverse row of punctures. 



Anterior tibiai rather broadly dilated. Prosternum much 

 longer than wide at base, striaj in front strongly diver- 

 gent, at base parallel maritimus. 



Anterior tibite scarcely broader than the middle. 

 Prosternum scarcely longer than wide at middle ; elytra 



finely punctured Arizonte. 



Prosternum twice as long as wide ; elytra sparsely punc- 

 tured exiguus. 



Thorax with basal transverse row of punctures. 



Prosternum scarcely longer than wide ; marginal stride of 

 mesosternum interrupted. 



