134 Memoirs on the Coleoptera 



to Texas, is smaller and narrower than houlderensis , which is found 

 in almost equal abundance in the Rocky Mountain region from 

 Manitoba to Colorado. Prolixa Csy., from the flatter eastern 

 part of Colorado, is about twice as large as punctulata and is very 

 much more elongate even than in houlderensis. These three form 

 a section, distinguished by constant absence of pronounced metallic 

 coloration, and I have no doubt that chihuahuos Bates {micans), 

 represented before me by equally large series from Kansas, Texas, 

 New Me.dco and Colorado, is a perfectly distinct species, having 

 not only strong metallic coloration, varying from deep purplish- 

 blue to pale coppery-green, but with the punctures coarser on the 

 whole and roughly burred. Fontinaria, very much smaller and 

 narrower than chihuahuce, is in some respects intermediate between 

 the chihuahucB and houlderensis types, having the smooth and almost 

 burrless punctures of the latter and a modification of the metallic 

 coloration of the former — more dullish coppery however through- 

 out, but its distinctness as a species is shown by its small size and 

 complete white humeral lunule. 



There are considerable groups of species in Cicindela having 

 practically identical markings, and on superficial study these are 

 too often placed together as single species, with attached varieties 

 or subspecies. One of these groups is that comprising tortuosa, 

 sigmoidea and serpens, with a few others ; tortuosa is of shorter and 

 heavier build than the Pacific coast sigmoidea, with blacker ground 

 color and relative deficiency of marginal pale marking; the two 

 can of course be considered as mutually related subspecifically, but 

 I can see no useful gain to taxonomy by this assumption; the 

 probabilities are that they would not interbreed ; but, in regard to 

 serpens Lee, there can be no doubt in my opinion as to its real 

 specific value; it is scarcely half the size of the other two, much 

 more slender and especially with a narrower prothorax. Mr. 

 Loding, of Mobile, was kind enough to send me very lately three 

 examples of Cicindela severa Laf. On comparing the females with 

 a female of the true severa in my collection, from Texas, it can be 

 noted at once that the Alabama specimens do not conform very well 

 and appear to constitute a subspecies as follows: 



Cicindela severa ssp. alabamae nov. — Female narrower and a little 

 smaller than the female of severa and blacker, with scarcely a trace of 



