AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. 251 



tured both before and behind. Elytra with tolerably coarse rows of punctures, 

 the sutural stria more deei^ly impressed; pectus distinctly and thickly punc- 

 tured. — North Carolina. 



Cyrtusa impubis Zim, — Long, f line. Much smaller than the pi-eceding spe- 

 cies, broadly elliptical, very convex, ferruginous, smooth, shining; prothorax 

 entirely smooth, at tip feebly emarginate, narrowed in front, side margins not 

 deflexed, and therefore between the obtuse front and hind angles more rounded 

 than in the preceding species. Elytra with very fine rows of punctures, which 

 are almost obliterated in front. Pectus finely punctured. — North Carolina. 

 [Mr. Ulke has found this species in the District of Columbia.] 



Toxidium compressum Zim. — Long, i — ^ line. Of the same form and color 

 as gavimaroidcs, and equally smooth above, but somewhat smaller, and still 

 more compressed, and easily distinguished by the coarse punctures of the pec- 

 tus. The structure of the prothorax is very singular, the side margin is slightly 

 prominent and carinate in front, but behind the middle, is pressed closely to 

 the body, and therefore the impressed line of the marginal bead disappears, 

 the margin itself where it meets the epimeron of the mesothorax forms an dis- 

 tinct angle, and causes the hind angles, which would otherwise be acute, to ap- 

 pear rounded. — Louisiana. [I have sj)ecimens of this species from Texas, Flori- 

 da and Illinois.] 



Scydmaenus mississipicus Zim. — Nearly § lin. long. Ferruginous-brown, 

 very shining, and smooth, although tolerably thickly clothed with hair, the 

 head especially thickly covered behind with erect hairs; j^rothorax not longer 

 than wide, narrowed in front, with slight transverse impressions behind, in 

 which four deep fovese are visible; elytra with one longitudinal impression in 

 front near the suture, and a fovea near the sharply defined humeral carina; 

 front thighs much thickened, front tibiae strongly compressed towards the tip, 

 and on the inner side furnished with a brush of hairs. 



[The MS. of Dr. Zimmermann relatitig to the Scydmaenidaj is pre- 

 fixed by a brief treatise upon the classification of the Rhypophaga, 

 from which the following extracts are made, with the expectation that 

 the suggestions contained therein may be useful to other students. Af- 

 ter reviewing the relations in which the families of the series have been 

 placed by Erichson. Lacordaire, E-edtenbacher, Duval, and the editor, 

 he proceeds to eliminate and transfer the following families : the Pse- 

 laphidae, Claviger, and Staphylinidse to form another series. Brache- 

 LYTRA ; the Phalacridse and Telmatophilidae to the series Cordylo- 

 cera; the RhyssodidiB, Passandridee and Cucujidae to the series Iso- 

 mera (Xenomorpha), and also the Q-eoryssidae, Parnida5, and Hete- 

 roceridae, to the series Philydria. The families of Rhypophaga are 

 then distinguished as follows:] 



A. Wings membranous, with distinct veins, and mostly suitable for flight ; ven- 

 tral segments 5 or less in number : 



a. Ventral segments 4; tarsal joints variable in form and length, Paussidae. 



b. Ventral segments 5; tarsal joints narrow; 



Hind coxae not excavated for the reception of the thighs ; pygidium always 

 exposed, Hiateridae. 



