THE (EDEMERID.E OF BOREAL AMERICA. 



BY GEORGE H. HORN. 



It is now over forty years since Dr. LeConte published 

 (Proc. Acad. Phil., vii) a short review of the species 

 then known to him. In the meantime the number has 

 been greatly increased, and a great number are at present 

 in nry cabinet without name. 



In a recent volume of the " Biologia " (vol. iv, pt. 2), 

 Mr. G. C. Champion reviewed the species of Central 

 America, and incidentally indicates the erroneous generic 

 status of some of our species. 



Among the species placed in my hands for study by the 

 California Academy of Sciences, collected in Baja Cali- 

 fornia, were many specimens, nearly all of which seem to 

 have been aggregated under the name lucana. A close 

 study of all the material in their possession showed plainly 

 that three species have been included under this name in 

 most collections. 



Further study showed that among our well known east- 

 ern forms two species of distinct genera had been passing 

 as thoracica. 



The family as a whole does not seem to have been 

 studied with the care it deserves, and the limits of the 

 genera cannot be considered at all defined, as there yet 

 remain many species, especially abundant in the tropics, 

 which have never been studied. 



The work of Mr. Champion is a decided advance on 

 what had been previously published, and references are 

 given to some generic synonyms to which the student is 

 referred. 



This paper had its origin in the study of the species of 

 Baja California, which, as I have stated, were badly 



Proc. Cal. Acad. Sol, 2d Ser., Vol. VI. September 25, 1896. 



