268 Memoirs on the Coleoptera 



wider than long, the general outline nearly similar, except that the 

 base is about as wide as the apex and not a little narrower as it is 

 in fusciceps; anterior impression feebler, the impressed median 

 stria longer; elytra longer, nearly one-half longer than wide, three- 

 fourths wider than the prothorax, oblong, with arcuate sides, the 

 striae rather deeper and more sharply defined than in the preceding; 

 outer angle at apex similarly broadly rounded, the apex arcuato- 

 truncate; dorsal punctures minute, indistinct. Length 2.7-3.0 

 mm.; width 0.9-1. i mm. Texas nigriceps Lee. 



Calif ornicus Mots., and nigriceps Lee, have been declared 

 synonyms of hiplagiatus and fusciceps respectively, but this is 

 incorrect; they are both amply valid as species; in fact, there 

 would appear to be little or no doubt connected with the validity 

 of any of the species above described; they are well characterized 

 among themselves. 



Blechrus Mots. 

 Bomius Lee. 

 Although Metahletus, as represented in the European fauna, is 

 probably distinct from Blechrus, this cannot be said so truly of 

 americanus, now placed in that genus in our lists, and I think, with 

 Zimmermann, that it should be ranged with the other American 

 forms under the genus Blechrus; Apristus, however, by peculiarities 

 of sculpture and habitus, should be regarded as valid, and not 

 united with the others as recommended by Zimmermann. Our 

 species of Blechrus are small, slender, black and polished, and have 

 the surface nearly smooth; those in my collection are the following: 



Prothorax relatively narrower, but little more than half as wide as the 

 elytra 2 



Prothorax broader, transverse, very much more than half as wide as the 

 elytra. Metahletus Horn 7 



2 — Head broader, not elongate, the eyes distinctly prominent 3 



Head narrower, elongate, the eyes not prominent though somewhat 

 convex 4 



3 — Surface shining, black throughout the body, legs and antennae, the 

 femora and coxae picescent; head but just visibly narrower than the 

 prothorax, smooth, the eyes at about their own length from the 

 base, the tempora strongly converging; antennae distinctly more 

 than half as long as the body; prothorax larger than in any other 

 of this section of the genus, not quite one-half wider than long, 

 nearly three-fifths as wide as the elytra, widest anteriorly, the 

 arcuate sides oblique behind, very finely refiexed, a little more so 

 at the basal angles, which are minutely acute and subprominent; 

 transverse impressions obsolete, the median line coarsely impressed; 



