478 Coleopterological Notices. 



anterior tibice are slender I have considered it preferable to separate 

 it generically. 



The anterior tibia? are broadly triangular, which seems to indicate 

 a burrowing habit, and in this connection it is at least interesting 

 to note that Ulus, which is also fossorial, possesses the lateral 

 fimbriae which are so important here. Whether this is a mere co- 

 incidence, or whether the lateral seta? are dependent for their evolu- 

 tion in any way upon the burrowing habit, I cannot state absolutely 

 at present, although this is rendered still more probable from the 

 fact that Ccelus and Coelomorpha, which are fossorial, also have the 

 lateral fimbriae well developed. The great minuteness of the eyes 

 in Notibius, as well as the complete absence of wings, should be 

 noticed in comparing it with Ulus, and apparently shows that while 

 the latter genus passes a considerable portion of the time above 

 ground, the former is more essentially subterranean. 



In Notibius we first notice a decided change in the character of 

 the punctuation, especially of the pronotum, where the presence of 

 the transversely crescentic and asperate t} T pe gives a certain pecu- 

 liarity of appearance. There is considerable variation however in 

 this respect, the punctures, for example in substriatus, becoming 

 coarse, deep, rounded and scarcely at all asperate toward the middle 

 of the disk ; these differences can perhaps best be made known by 

 the following tabular statement : — 



Third antennal joint feebly obconical, about twice as long as wide and but 

 slightly shorter than the next two combined. 

 Elytral striae not at all impressed, the series of very small, widely distant 

 punctures exceedingly indistinct; pronotal punctures rather transverse 

 but dense and strongly asperate; lateral margins of the pronotum gene- 

 rally distinctly and somewhat broadly explanate ; color piceous-black, 



the anterior portions often slightly paler puberilllis 



Elytral striae very feebly impressed, finely but distinctly and approximately 

 punctured ; pronotal punctures but feebly asperate toward the middle, 

 the disk not explanate at the sides ; color black throughout. 

 Pronotal punctures coarse, deep, rounded and conspicuous. 



substriatus 

 Pronotal punctures very fine, feeble, sparse and transversely crescenti- 



form laticeps 



Third antennal joint very short, but slightly longer than wide, strongly con- 

 stricted towai'd base and very much shorter than the next two combined ; 

 body bicolored ; pronotum strongly punctate, the punctures but slightly 

 wider than long puiicticollis 



