AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGY. IB 



L. ephippium Fabr. Meig. It is an inhabitant of the United 

 States generally. 



Lower left figure. [This reference is evidently wrong, the 

 upper figure is meant. — Lec] 



Laphria dorsata. — Specific character. Blue-black ; head 

 and feet with cinereous hair ; nervures of the wings widely mar- 

 gined with fuscous. 



Desc. Head black ; anterior orbits with a white line : mystax 

 cinereous ; vibrissas black ; stethidium blue-black, with slight 

 dark cinereous hair ; wings, nervures widely margined with fus- 

 cous, obscuring the anterior part of the wing, and leaving the 

 middle of the cellules on the inner margin almost hyaline : feet 

 black, tinged with purplish, and with cinerous hair : poisers 

 blackish, paler at base : tergum blue-black, with a coppery or 

 purple gloss. 



Obs. It was taken near Philadelphia. The back of the abdo- 

 men, although of a dark color, in a certain light reflects a brilliant 

 coppery or purplish tint. The short nervure which terminates at 

 the apex of the wing, is not only bifid at its origin, as in the 

 albibarbis Meig., but the upper branch joins the nervure above, 

 as well as the lower branch joins the nervure below. 



Upper figure. £The lower left figure. — Lec] 



NEMOGNATHA. Plate VII. 



Generic character. Antennae longer than the thorax, with the 

 first and third joints nearly equal, the second a little shorter, 

 terminal one fusiform, abruptly terminated by a short point ; 

 palpi filiform ; maxillae very much elongated, filiform, curved ; 

 elytra elongate, linear; tarsi with entire joints. 



Obs. This genus was formed by Illiger for the reception of 

 such species of the Linnaean genus 3feloe, as are distinguished 

 by the remarkable and striking character of the elongated max- 

 illae. Fabricius included them in his genus Zonitis. The max- 

 illae of these insects have the closest analogy with the spiral 

 trunk of the Lepidoptera, and every point of comparison induces 

 the supposition that this organ is applied to the same uses. The 

 species are found on flowers. 



Nemoonatha immaculata. — Specific character. Lemon- 

 yellow, immaculate ; elytra pale yellowish, with scattered punc- 



