398 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



in front, slightly oblique posteriorly, disc regularly con- 

 vex, closely punctulate. Elytra finely, closely punctulate, 

 without trace of costae. Body beneath entirely piceous, 

 rather more coarsely punctate than above. Legs pale, 

 femora often fuscous. Claws acutely toothed near the 

 base. Length .26 inch.; 6.5 mm. 



This insect so closely resembles some of the dark forms 

 of lucana and dubiosa that it requires an examination of 

 the mandibles to separate them. It equally resembles 

 also some of the dark forms of tceniata. 



The last joint of the maxillary palpus is rather triangu- 

 lar, being wider at middle. 



Cabo San Lucas, Sierra San Lazaro, and San Jose del 

 Cabo. Baja California. 



Copidita Lee. 



Form slender. Penultimate joint of tarsi bilobed and 

 alone spongy-pubescent beneath. Anterior tibiae with 

 two terminal spurs. Tarsal claws simple. Mandibles 

 bifid at tip. Last joint of maxillary palpi cultriform or 

 triangular. Antennae slender, eleven-jointed, the terminal 

 joint in the male sinuate above. 



Copidita was originally formed to contain but one 

 species. According to the methods at present adopted 

 for the separation of genera the distinction between this 

 and Asclera is based almost entirely on the form of the 

 tarsal claws, simple in Copidita, toothed in Asclera. In 

 Oxacis, Mr. Champion (Biologia, iv, pt. 2) includes 

 species with both forms of claws from the fact that there 

 are intermediate forms. It is possible that the same ten- 

 dency to intermediate forms may occur here, in which 

 case Asclera and Copidita must be united. In the orig- 

 inal description Dr. LeConte stated that Copidita had 

 several of the tarsal joints spongy-pubescent beneath. 



