AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. 115 



late, disk feebly tuberculate each side, median line projecting posteriorly in a 

 cariniform process; a shallow groove behind the constriction along the posterior 

 margin ; hairs yellowish, condensed in tufts each side the median line and on the 

 lateral tubercles. Elytra elongate, a little wider posteriorly, humeri prominent, 

 strife slightly impressed and with coarse stellate punctures; the interspaces 

 slightly convex and a little wider than the punctures. The vestiture consists of 

 short, rather fine, pointed, pale yellow hairs forming a single series on each stria 

 and interspace, those of the strife subrecumbent ; those of the interspaces 

 slightly curved and inclined at an angle of about thirty degrees; the hairs of 

 both strife and interspaces of about equal length and slightly lunger than the 

 width of the latter. Behind the humeri and at the apical third or fourth and 

 extending onto the declivity are scattered whitish scales, these being from two 

 to three times as long as wide, perfectly recumbent and not sufficiently numerous 

 to render them very conspicuous. Prosternal process very narrow, mesosternal 

 process wider, but scarcely one-fourth the width of the coxa; metasternum equal 

 in length to the second and third ventral segments united, polished, with sparse 

 linear punctures, also minutely punctulate; smoother posteriorly. Ventral seg- 

 ments polished and punctured like the metasternum ; fourth segment half as 

 long as the fifth, scarcely more than one-third as long as the third. Legs long 

 and slender; femora clavate in apical half; tibia' slightly bent; first joint of hind 

 tarsi equal to the next three or very nearly so, relatively slightly shorter in the 

 front and middle tarsi; second joint equal to the two following; last joint very 

 slender and fully as long as the second. 



Female. — Usually of a darker brown color than the male and differing other- 

 wise as follows: Eyes smaller and less prominent, separated on the front by twice 

 their vertical diameter; thoracic tufts denser, median line scarcely carinate be- 

 fore the constriction. Elytra elongate-oval, without humeri ; interspaces flatter 

 and a little wider; posthumeral and subapical patches of pale scales conspicuous. 

 Legs and antennte shorter and more robust; tenth joint of latter scarcely more 

 than twice as long as wide ; first joint of tarsi but little if any longer than the 

 next two united. Length 2.6-3.6 mm. 



Widely distributed in North America, Europe and Asia, occur- 

 ring more or less commonly in old buildings. The following locali- 

 ties are represented in the material before me: Massachusetts, New 

 York, Pennsylvania, Canada (Ontario), Ohio, Iowa, Illinois, Michi- 

 gan, Alaska (Sitka), California (Pasadena). 



3. P. bicin<*tus Sturm. 



This species is intermediate in vestiture between fur and villiger, 

 but is closest to the latter, from which it is distinguished by the lack 

 of longer hairs on the alternate intervals of the elytra. In series 

 the size is seen to be still a trifle less than in villiger, and the nar- 

 rower humeri and arcuate sides of the elytra are still more pro- 

 nounced. Length 2.2-3.2 mm. 



Canada (Toronto), Massachusetts (Tyngsboro — Blanchard). Fe- 

 males of this species have not yet been recognized. According to 



TRANS. AM. ENT. SOC. XXXI. MARCH, 1905. 



