INTRODUCTION 137 



INTRODUCTION 



The material on which the present avocational studies are based, was 

 collected chiefly in California, the smaller part having been taken in 

 Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Lower California and Islands off the 

 coast. The following Coleoptera are described as new to science : Twenty 

 species and one subspecies of Listrus', two species and one variety of 

 Dasytes; one species of Dasytastes; one species and the genus Listri- 

 morpha; two species of Glyptoscelis ; two species of Centrioptera; three 

 species of Schizillus; one species of Coniontis; one species of Coniontides; 

 one species of Eusattus ; five species and three races of Eleodes and three 

 species of Helops. Notes on a few other species are also given. At all 

 times an effort has been made to examine long series, and uniques have 

 been considered only when they presented well marked characters, and 

 even then collateral evidence was at times obtained from colleagues or 

 collectors in the field. 



I am greatly indebted to the California Academy of Sciences for the 

 privilege of studying the material in the collection of its entomological 

 department; also, to Mr. Van Duzee, curator of the department, for 

 personal favors. The following friends and collectors have responded 

 generously to my requests for material and, to them I express my sincere 

 thanks: Mr. J. O. Martin for the liberal gift of specimens from the 

 Bear Lake region in San Bernardino County, and Mr. F. W. Nunen- 

 macher for similar gifts and the opportunity of studying long series of 

 specimens from different regions in California. Mr. Chas. Liebeck of 

 Philadelphia very kindly loaned the material in his collection. To Mr. 

 H. C. Fall, Mr. Chas. L. Fox and Mr. O. N. Sanford my appreciation is 

 due for less extensive but none the less valuable assistance. 



