ROLAND HAYWARD. 41 



But two species are known to me. 'As here defined B. nitidum 

 includes both' aptum and obliquuluvi, the last named having hitherto 

 been retained as distinct. In a large series of specimens, liowever, 

 the characters on wliich it was based become evanescent. Our spe- 

 cies may be separated by the following characters : 



Thorax distinctly wider at base t)ian at apex ; elytra very slightly wider than 

 the thorax, distinctly striate; color usually bronzed. Length .18-.28 inch. 



nitidum Kirby. 

 Thorax as wide at base as apex ; elytra about one-half wider than the thorax, 

 the two or three iimer striaj distinct but very fine, the others almost or en- 

 tirely eifaced ; color black, scarcely aeneous. Length .14-. 20 inch. 



erasuin Lee. 



2. B. ilititluin Kirby.— Form robust, slightly convex ; color uigro-aineous 

 or aeneous, very shining. Head rather small, slightly narrower than the thorax 

 at apex; palpi black; antennae about one-half the length of the body, black, 

 more or less rufous at base. Prothorax subquadrate, about one-half wider than 

 long, very distinctly wider at base than apex ; apex slightly emarginate ; median 

 line very tine, extending between the transverse impressions, the anterior of 

 which is rather feeble, the posterior moderately distinct ; basal impressions broad, 

 bistriate, the inner stria larger and deeper than the outer ; sides with the margin 

 very narrowly reflexed, arcuate, feebly sinuate in front of the hind angles, which 

 are rectangular and finely earinate. Elytra oblong-elliptical, slightly wider than 

 the thorax, finely striate ; striae punctate, the first and sometimes the second 

 entire, the fifth repi'esented by a slight groove at tip, the others abbreviated 

 behind ; intervals fiat, the third with the first dorsal puncture about one-thiid 

 from base, the second about one-third from apex. Beneath black, often slightly 

 tinged with green, shining. Legs black, or dark piceous, often slightly aeneous, 

 the tibiie and tarsi sometimes rufo-piceous. Length .18-.28 inch. ; 4.5-7 nun. 



A very well-marked species, easily recognizable from erastun by 

 the characters given in the table. It varies greatly in size and the 

 color of the legs is variable as indicated above. In the typical )ii- 

 tidmn the legs are black, and only the basal joint of the antennre is 

 rufous, this color in some specimens being confined to the under side, 

 while tiie basal impressions of the thorax have the stripe parallel. 

 Most s})ecimens from the Pacific coast difier from more Eastern ex- 

 amples in having the three basal joints of the antennae rufi)us, the 

 legs piceous, with the tibije and tarsi rufo-piceous, and the inner basal 

 fovea slightly (oblique. This is the obliqmduin of LeConte. The 

 two forms, however, intergrade. 



It occurs in Canada and throughout the more Nortliern portions 

 of the country from the Atlantic to the Pacific, extending along the 

 Pacific coast from Alaska to California. 



3. B. era^uni Lee. — Form moderately robust ; color black, scarcely leneous, 

 shining. Head scaicely nariower than the thorax at apex ; j)alpi black ; antennte 



TRANS. AM. KNT. SOC. XXIV. ((Jj FEBRUARY, Id!)?. 



