1920] Fall— On Certain Species of Ealtica, Old and New 103 



statements in his Synopsis. In the table of species carinata is 

 characterized as having the ante-basal groove of the thorax mod- 

 erately deep, evanescent at the extremities and never entire. In 

 the remarks preceding the table of species he says that specimens of 

 carinata occur with the impressed line as entire as in chalyhea. 

 The former statement, as well as the words "bright coppery red 

 with bluish or purplish reflections," is evidently drawn from tor- 

 quata, while the latter statement applies to the true carinata. Inci- 

 dentally it may be remarked that the expressions, "ante-basal 

 groove deep and entire" or "moderate and not entire," which 

 look quite definite and satisfactory on the printed page, are really 

 very difficult to apply in practice. Looked at from one position 

 you unhesitatingly pronounce the groove entire, but viewed from a 

 different angle you are quite as positive it isn't. The only course 

 left to you is to try both roads, but this is no unusual thing in the 

 use of taxonomic keys. But to come back to the H. torquata of 

 Woods; if this is not the true torquata, what is it? Malloch has 

 assumed it to be an undescribed species, and has proposed the 

 nsime Sylvia. This action I fear is premature. A specimen taken 

 by myself at Tyngsboro, Mass., September 1, 1916, has been com- 

 pared by me with Blatchley's type of cuprascens and proved so 

 closely similar that I felt no hesitation in attaching that name to it. 

 A Michigan example sent me by Dury, and others from Michigan, 

 recently seen in the National Museum Collection are quite cer- 

 tainly the same thing, and I have little doubt are identical with 

 Blatchley's type. 



That very careful and painstaking work was done by Mr. Woods 

 on the biologies of the Maine Halticas is obvious from a perusal of 

 his report, which constitutes a valuable contribution to the re- 

 corded life histories of our coleoptera. The results of his work 

 have thoroughly convinced him of the specific distinctness in all 

 stages of three forms "that in Horn's Monograph would fall under 

 the single species ignita Illig." To these he gave the names corni, 

 roso' and ulmi. As has been stated above, vhni is to the best of our 

 belief the carinata of Germar, so that two only are created at the 

 expense of ignita. The writer has for some time inclined to the 

 belief that the ignita complex would ultimately be broken up into 

 a number of distinct species by more careful study coupled with an 

 association with their food plants; he is, therefore, disposed to 



