SECRETARY'S REPORT. • 141 



line ill the middle, and a deep indentation on each side, next 

 to the elytra ; these are green covered with a cloak of short 

 yellow hairs, visible under a magnifier, which give the insect a 

 silky lustre and its name. It measures from .55 to .70 in 

 length, and about .25 in breadth. The genus Diccclus of 

 Bonelli, from dis and coilos meaning two hollows, is readily 

 distinguished from most others by its peculiar form and 

 markings. The head is large with two deep hollows or 

 indentations on the front, the thorax as broad as the elytra, 

 broadly turned up on its lateral margins, and deeply lined and 

 indented, the elytra deeply furrowed, and somewhat turned up 

 at the outer corners in front. Our more common species are 

 polished black, but some southern and western ones have a 

 beautiful lustre of purple or violet. Cdlathus of Bonelli, 

 (meaning in the Greek a wicker-basket,) and its allied genera 

 are among the most common and useful ground-beetles through- 

 out the country. The genus Anchdmenus of Bonelli contains 

 several species of which A. extensicoUis of Say, is perhaps the 

 most common here ; the legs are yellow, the head or thorax 

 green, and the elytra bronzed green or slightly purple. It 

 measures about .4 and resembles closely in form Ag-onum ciipri- 

 penne of Say, or the " copper-winged Agonum," (figure 17, a, 

 shows the natural size,) a slightly broader insect of most brilliant 

 colors, the head and thorax polished green, elytra 

 purplish red with green margin, and black legs. vW/ J 



This species is very common under stones, especially ,^^^:^ J 

 in the western part of the State. There are 

 other species of this genus found here, but none 

 so brilliant in their colors and markings. By far 

 the greater number of the ground-beetles of small ^'^' ^^' 

 size that are observed, however, on turning over a stone or log 

 in any part of the country, belong to the genus Pterostichiis of 

 Bonelli, These swift, shining black, " hard-shelled " beetles, 

 some of them with brilliant metallic reflections, are almost 

 universal, and exceed in the number of species any other group 

 in this country. They are so similar in general appearance 

 that the superficial observer would hardly be able to identify 

 the species. 



Amdra of Bonelli (a drain or stream, Greek,) comprises 

 those smaller species of a dark ceneous or bronze color, of a 



