AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. 223 



Hab. — Texas (Brownsville). Two examples in the National 

 Museum collection. 



There is considerable difference observable throughout the genus 

 in the relative lengths of the metasternura (at sides) and the third 

 and fourth ventral segments. In nitidus the metasternum is dis- 

 tinctly longer than the combined length of these two segments, 

 being in fact proportioned nearly as in similis. In punctulatus the 

 disparity is still greater in the same direction, while in the very 

 elongate obsoletm the metasternum is plainly shorter than the third 

 and fourth segments. 



9. E. punctulatus Lee. — Rather broadly oval, very convex, rufopiceous 

 to black, highly polished and glabrous, punctuation exceedingly fine and sparse 

 over the greater portion of the surface both above and beneath. The head and 

 sides of prothorax are as usual more, closely punctured, though still unusually 

 finely so; the posterior coxal plates are quite coarsely punctate and gradually 

 very feebly widened externally. The metasternal lobe as defined by its margi- 

 nal line is not at all emarginate. Length 2.4-3.8 mm. 



This species occurs only in the extreme southern portions of our 

 territory. It is known to me from Florida (Pensacola, Biscayne 

 and Enterprise) ; Louisiana (type) ; Texas (Columbus and Browns- 

 ville) ; Lower California (Santa Rosa). 



J have compared one of the types of E. viticola Schwarz with the 

 LeConte type of punctulatus in the Ulke collection, and find them 

 identical. Mr. Schwarz records taking his viticola in large numbers 

 by heating dead vines of a species of Vitis at Enterprise, Florida, in 

 June. This and nitidus are thus far the two commonest species in 

 our fauna. Though confused in some collections they are easily 

 separable, aside from the tabular differences, punctulatus being 

 plainly stouter, more convex, much more finely punctate, and with 

 the intermediate joints of the -antennae relatively larger and more 

 unequal. 



THECA Mulsant and Key. 



Body oval, moderately elongate, narrowed in front, convex. 

 Head deeply sunk in the prothorax, not excavated beneath for the 

 antennse, which are received in the prothoracic excavation. Front 

 not acutely margined over the antennal foveas, but with oblique 

 impressed lines joining a median transverse impression before which 

 is a narrow fiat clypeus. Antennas 11-jointed, first joint auriculate, 

 second slender, oblong; third to sixth small, seventh and eighth 

 acutely prolonged inward, the latter nearly as wide as the ninth ; 



TEANS. AM. ENT. SOC. XXXI. JULY, 1905. 



