CAr.lFOKNfA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 00 



(]>i()l. Cent. -Amor., I, Pt 2, p. 50G), probably because of 

 this variabilih', considers the palpal structure as of minor 

 importance Avlien compared witli others, and does not even 

 employ' it in subdividinj^' the genus, although this has been 

 done with more or less success by Dr. Le Conte (Proc. Am. 

 Phil. Soc. XVII, 1878, p. oiJO), but without considering the 

 structure of the maxillary palpi, wo still have, 1 think, 

 enough characters remaining to coniirm the validity of Hes- 

 perobium. 



Dr. Sharp, in the work above mentioned, divides the 

 Central American species into groups depending upon the 

 presence or absence of a lateral raised line u])on the lower 

 part of the flank of each elytron; when the P;ederini have 

 been sufficiently studied as a group, it may bo found desira- 

 ble to give this character a generic import, in which case 

 the name Hesporol)ium should be retained for the species 

 having this lateral line, as it is present in the typo which is 

 assumed above as representiug the genus. It is also present 

 in ciiJlfofincuni, and in an uiidescril)ed species, represented 

 in ni}- cabinet by a unique male, found near San Francisco; 

 it is lu'oljably characteristic of the Calif ornian species as a 

 grou])\ 



In describing several si)ecios of this genus (Cont. II, pp. 

 l'^7-lo3), attention was called to two very large and promi- 

 nent annular punctures, or more ])roperly areohe, situated 

 behind the oyoH. 1 think that these punctures are of greater 

 importance from a systematic standi)oint than was at first 

 supposed, as they constitute one of the distinguishing fea- 

 tures of Hesperibi inn and the American species of Latliro- 



iu syiioii.viny. I take the prcseut opportunity to say in acltlition, that it is 

 vovy (linicult to reconcile Dr. Horn's ai^sertion regarding the mutual identity 

 of my //. rapUo anl //. jxd ip''fi, (irav., with the statement made by Erichson 

 in the description of the latter, viz: "Thorax latitudiue ses(iui fere lougior." 

 The prothorax in capito is "scarcely one-lifth longer than wide." (Cont. II, 

 p. 128.) 



•'• This line is also well developed in the Californian species wliieh have 

 been referred to Lathrobium and which are probably generically distinct. 



