OF NATURAL HISTORY. ggl 



nuated behind, and with a more or less dilated, black spot on 

 the middle : elytra with a whitish disk, more or less broadly mar- 

 gined with black : thighs at tip, tibijB except at base, and tarsi 

 except the base of the first joint, black. ' 



Length to tip of elytra a quarter of an inch. 



Var. a. Vertex black. 



Var. 0. Elytra black, immaculate. 



Var. y. Beneath varied with black. 



Fabricius was unacquainted with the native country of his 

 Umbatus, but as his description agrees very well with [190] our 

 insect, and was made out from a specimen belonging to the same 

 collection in which he described his dimidiatus,! have no doubt 

 that it was intended to indicate this species. Dr. Melsheimer 

 was of the same opinion, and has recorded the name in his cata- 

 logue. I introduce the description for the purpose of preserving 

 the Fabrician name for a species not commonly known. 



MORDELLA Latr. 



1. M. HILARIS. — Blackish, silvery-sericeous ; elytra with a di- 

 lated, irregular, dull yellowish band margined with whitish. 



Inhabits Indiana. 



Body black, somewhat purplish-iridescent, sericeous : head 

 dull yellowish-sericeous : thorax varied with gray hairs : scutcl 

 silvery : elytra with a much dilated, dull golden sericeous, 

 oblique band, occupying about one-third, spread widely towards 

 the scutel, and margi ned before and behind with a whitish line, 

 the anterior line much angulated and the posterior one reclivate ; 

 tip rounded : beneath with purple and green reflections, and sil- 

 very-sericeous. 



Length about two-fifths of an inch. 



This has some resemblance to M. hidentata nob., but it is 

 widely distinct by the elytral band and the much more dilated 

 terminal joint of the maxillary palpi. It is common about the 

 flowers of the Hi/drangia cordata Ph. Its movements are rapid. 



2. M. OCULATA. — Black; elytra bifiseiate, anterior bands with 

 two dots. 



Inhabits Pennsylvania and Indiana. 



M, fasciafa Melsh. Catal. [ 191 ] 



1835.] 



