American Caraboidea 265 



Axinopalpus Lee. 

 Axinopselaphus G. & H. 

 In this genus the species are very small, with the hind thoracic 

 angles acute and more or less prominent behind a small sinus, the 

 base transverse and the elytra usually but not always ornamented 

 with a flavate humeral spot, which is obliquely prolonged pos- 

 teriorly. The eight species in my collection may be known very 

 readily as follows : 



Elytra with pale humeral marking 2 



Elytra wholly pale, without maculation 6 



2 — Humeral pale maculation very short, faint and nubilously defined. 

 Body very small, the surface polished, blackish-piceous, the head 

 black; under surface and femora black, the tibiae and tarsi paler; 

 head somewhat wider than long, five-sixths as wide as the pro- 

 thorax, smooth, with a few feeble rugulae behind the eyes, which are 

 well developed and prominent; palpi pale; antennae long, nearly 

 three-fifths as long as the body, longer than the elytra, fuscous, 

 gradually paler basally; prothorax short, three-fifths wider than 

 long, widest anteriorly, the oblique sides becoming sinuate posteriorly 

 and very finely reflexed, the basal angles right, sharp and laterally 

 prominent; surface smooth, the anterior and posterior transverse 

 impressions deep, the connecting median stria fine but deep; elytra 

 one-half longer than wide, nearly three-fourths wider than the 

 prothorax, parallel, the outer angle at apex broadly rounded, the 

 feeble truncature not sinuate; striae fine, feebly impressed; dorsal 

 punctures small and feeble. Length 2.3 mm.; width l.o mm. 

 California (Napa Co. — Jountville). Taken by the writer. 



illectus n. sp. 

 Humeral pale maculation more extended posteriorly and sharply de- 

 fined 3 



3 — Antennae shorter though very slender, about as long as the elytra, the 

 individual joints much shorter. Surface highly polished; body 

 black, the humeral pale mark extending through basal third at the 

 sides and to the middle and inner third on the disk; under surface 

 black, the legs and epipleura pale; head distinctly narrower than 

 the prothorax, rounded, fully as long as wide, with notably small 

 and but feebly prominent eyes; antennae fusco-testaceous, gradually 

 clearer basally; prothorax less abbreviated than in the preceding, 

 though with nearly similar outline, one-half wider than long, the 

 finely reflexed sides similarly more widely deplanate at the sharp 

 and laterally prominent angles; impressions finer and feebler, the 

 median stria deep; surface very smooth and polished; elytra two- 

 fifths longer than wide, four-fifths wider than the prothorax, similar 

 in outline, the striae fine and very feebly impressed. Length 2.3- 

 2.8 mm.; width 0.8-1. i mm. California (Los Angeles to Hum- 

 boldt) califomicus Mots. 



