— 204— 



the Dvnastidae or Geotrypidae ; the form of the antenna? is equally re- 

 pugnant to each, while the irregular puncturing of the elytra finds no 

 parallel in the latter tribe." 



The only species there described, Pleocoma fimbriaia, was know: • 

 its author only in a single, very imperfect example received from < 

 fornia through Haldeman. He adds that according to Motschulsk) there 

 were examples of this species in the Museum at St. Petersburg, also from 

 California, and that Motschulsky considers it as closely allied to the Geo- 

 trypid genus Ceratophyus, Fisch. 



In the "Report of Explorations and Surveys for a railroad route 

 from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean" Vol. XII, (Entomological 

 Report, page 40, pi. I, fig. 13 and 13a) Leconte gives another diag- 

 nosis of Pleocoma fijnbr lata based on the same specimen from which the 

 original description was made, but in a foot note gives another character- 

 ization of the genus differing in important particulars from that previously 

 given, and based, not on that specimen, but on others since received, 

 and differing also in their smaller size. While in the original description 

 the club is said to beyWr-jointed, it is now said to be seven-jointed, the 

 entire number — eleven — remaining the same. The mandibles and maxillae 

 are said to be "invisce, minulce." To this altered generic diagnosis, Le- 

 conte adds that these, newly received, perfect examples of this peculiar 

 genus, of which he could then make only a hastv examination, had not 

 given him more definite information in reference to its relationships. Al- 

 though the antenna; being eleven-jointed agree with those of the Geo- 

 trypidce yet their structure is entirely different as well from those of the 

 Geoltypithe as from the more allied groups, and the smallness of the mouth 

 parts seems to indicate a new group between the (Jeotryphke and the 

 Coprini. The differences between the first specimen and those later re- 

 ceived, in size, structure of antenna.% punctuation and clothing of thorax 

 &c, he is inclined to consider as sexual. Referring to the original, large 

 specimen, described in the text, he says — contradicting the foot note — 

 '.' As the oral organs and abdomen are destroyed, 1 cannot tell whether 

 the genus belongs to the Dynastides or Geotrupides ; in either case the 

 four-jointed antennal club is equally remarkable. The affinities, so far 

 as I can understand them, seem to he rather with Geotrupes." 



A further notice of this genus appears in 1859. In his "Catalogue 

 of the Coleoptera of Fort Tejon, California.'' (Pr. Ac. N. Sc, Phil., XI, 

 p. 71) Leconte gives a detailed description of the mouth parts of this in- 

 sect from a specimen found in the stomach of a bird, and adds the fol- 

 lowing remark : — " It will thus be seen that combined with the 1 1 -jointed 

 antennae with polyphyllous club, the characters above detailed are 

 abundantly sufficient to establish this genus as a new group, related to 



