Coleopterological Notices, V. 533 



paler. There seems to be considerable variation also in the size of 

 the post-coxal plate of the first ventral, which generally attains the 

 middle of the segment, but in one specimen it plainly does not 

 extend so far and in another goes a little beyond the middle. The 

 antennae differ from those of any other species in being shorter and 

 stouter, the outer joints shorter and less asymmetric than usual, 

 with the large seventh joint rather wider than any one of the outer 

 three; first two joints as long as the next four; third very small, 

 triangular; fourth small, barely twice as long as wide; fifth fully 

 as long as the preceding two combined; sixth unusually small, 

 securiform, scarcely twice as long as wide, about three-fourths as 

 long as the fifth and one-half as long and wide as the seventh. 

 Length 0.15-1.0 mm. ; width 0.5-0.7 mm. 



Rhode Island to Lake Superior, Iowa and the Carolinas. It is 

 possible that several very closely allied species may be indicated by 

 the above described color variations, but I am unable at present to 

 find any really decisive structural differences. 



HISTERID.E. 



But little progress has been made in the systematic treatment of 

 this family since the completion of the superb monograph of Mar- 

 seul, and but few American species have been made known since 

 the synopsis published by Dr. Horn, now somewhat more than 

 twenty years ago. A considerable number of new forms have been 

 accumulating however, principally through recent collecting in Cali- 

 fornia and parts adjacent, and, in rearranging my cabinet, it seemed 

 desirable that these should be described. 



A modification of the present classification would seem to be 

 desirable in order to better determine the positions of the two aber- 

 rant genera Bacanius and Plegaderus, Bacanius is evidently out 

 of place at present, although some affinity with Abrainis may possi- 

 bly be indicated by the transverse chain of pronotal punctures in 

 B. rhomhophorus, a feature which appears to be essentially charac- 

 teristic of Abrseus and Acritus. By placing Bacanius immediately 

 after Anapleus, and then reversing the order of genera in the 

 Saprini, so as to bring AbrsBus and Acritus at the head, this diffi- 

 culty can however be readily overcome. 



According to Mr. Lewis Tribalus californicus Horn, is to be 

 referred to Stictostix Mars. 



