Coleoj^ferological Notices, VI. 451 



The description, except the measurements, refers to the male, 

 the female being much narrower, the prothorax apparently having 

 but slighth' more than one-half the bulk, with the sides more con- 

 vergent in apical half, the disk more densely punctate and the 

 Avide impunctate line better defined. 



It is probable that these three species are descended from a com- 

 mon ancestor, inhabiting the regions east of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains at the time when the Great Salt Lake basin was occupied 

 by a large body of fresh water ; as this lake retreated and became 

 more and more saline, salicola became correspondingly different 

 from the types represented b}^ simplarius and pallidulus. 



CUCUJID.E. 



MURMIDIIN/E. 



Another new genus, very different from anj^ previously known, 

 but apparently assignable to this isolated group of monotj'pic 

 genera, has recently been discovered, and the genus Mychocerus, 

 which was unknown to me in natui'e when I last referred to the 

 subject (Col. Not. II., p. 321), is now amply represented before 

 me. With this new material, it becomes sufficiently evident that 

 greater weight must be given these interesting structural types 

 than I previously supposed, and, instead of constituting a mere 

 tribe of Colydiina?, it is prol)able that they should more properly 

 form a group subequivalent in value to the Coljdiidfe, if we view 

 the latter as a family, or to the Col^'diinte, if we consider these a 

 subfamily' of the Cucujidoe, as formerly suggested by the writer 

 (Col. Not., II., p. 49G). This course is also in harmony with the 

 views of DuVal, who proposed a distinct family for Murmidius. 



The new genus, referred to above, differs very greatly from all 

 the others in having the fourth joint of the maxillary palpi cylin- 

 drical and elongate, fully as wide as the preceding and affixed 

 closely to its apex throughout the width ; but the anterior coxie 

 are small, globular, and have their cavities widely open behind 

 and closed by the mesosternum. It also differs in not having an- 

 tennal fossae; but the agreement in many respects is such as to 

 strongly suggest the Murmidius group of genera as its nearest 

 allies. The present opportunity may also be taken to correct a 

 serious error, quoted from the books in my previous work, in 



Annals N. Y. Acad. Sci., VIII., July, 1895.— 32 



