232 GEO. H. HORN, M. D. 



antenna, and it seems doubtful if this is sufficient to separate this 

 and the preceding. 



Occurs from Hudson's Bay to Canada and Utah. 



N. gattula Motsch. — -Form moderately elongate, black, elytra variable in 

 color. Head rather coarsely punctured, lateral impressions moderately deep, 

 rhinarium piceous. Autennse black, the club orange-red with the first joint 

 either piceous [guttula) or red {Hecate). Thorax transversely cordate, broader 

 than long, apex truncate, sides sinuate posteriorly, base arcuate, njargin narrow 

 at the sides, a little wider at base, disc convex with the anterior transverse line 

 deeply and the median line feebly impressed, surface moderately coarsely 

 punctate but somewhat variable. Scutellum flat, moderately densely punctate. 

 Elytra a little narrower at base than the thorax, gradually wider posteriorly, 

 sides straight, apex sinuately truncate, surface moderately coarsely punctate 

 with a few coarser jiunctures intermixed which in some specimens show a 

 tendency to assume a seriate arrangement; color of surface very variable. 

 Abdomen above and beneath moderately densely punctulate. Metasternura 

 clothed with yellow silken hairs. Anterior tibise with nearly equal sjaurs, the 

 outer apical angle slightly prolonged. Middle and posterior tibise gradually 

 broader to tip, not arcuate. Length .52 — .80 inch; 1.3 — 20 mm. 



The color of the elytra is extremely variable in this species. In 

 the typical form (^guttula) the elytra are entirely black excepting a 

 small subhumeral red spot. In these also the first joint of the club 

 is piceous. A variety of this form occurs with a small red spot on 

 the elytra posteriorly. 



In the variety Hecate the elytra are fasciate after the style of 

 marginatus, with the epipleurae pale and the anteunal club entirely 

 red. The fasciae are not constant in their width but become wide so 

 as to be more or less confluent, so that in a specimen taken by me 

 in company with the normal guttula the elytra have very little black 

 on them. 



The thorax varies in punctuation, being generally more coarsely punc- 

 tured in the entirely black forms and more finely in the fasciate. 



By the narrow side margin of its thorax this species must be 

 associated with marginatus, from which it may always be distinguished 

 by its straight tibiae. 



Occurs from Colorado to California, as far south as San Diego. It 

 illustrates the tendency to melanism shown by many other species 

 which extend from the Plains to California, and it may be here 

 observed that the fauna of California often replaces a colored eastern 

 species by one entirely black. 



N. pustnlatiis Ilerschel. — Form moderately robust, piceous or black, 

 elytra variable in color. Head sparsely finely punctate, rhinarium small, red. 

 Antennse piceous, club red with the first joint black. Thorax transversely oval, 



