2/6 Memoirs on the Coleoptera 



sharply defined; surface finely and sparsely sculptured, more closely 

 at apex and base, the impressions evident, the stria deeply impressed; 

 elytra shorter, about a fourth longer than wide, oblong and some- 

 what depressed, with but feebly arcuate parallel sides, about one- 

 half wider than the prothorax, the striae deeply sulciform internally, 

 fine and feeble externally; dorsal punctures as usual. Length 2.7 

 mm.; width i.i mm. California (Humboldt Co. and Sta. Rosa). 



Two examples liratus n. sp. 



A — Almost similar to liratus but with the prothorax much narrower, 

 only about a third wider than long; head rather longer than wide, 

 about as wide as the prothorax, the eyes a little smaller and less 

 prominent; surface of the anterior parts almost similar in the 

 general feeble sculpture but still more shining. Length 2.65 mm.; 

 width 1.05 mm. Caifornia (San Diego). A single male, taken 



by the writer agitatus n. subsp. 



1 1 — Body narrow, elongate and rather depressed, deep black and shining, 

 without aeneous lustre; head slightly elongate, almost as wide as the 

 prothorax, with very moderate eyes, which are but slightly promi- 

 nent, the surface smooth, with some sparse punctures anteriorly; 

 antennae slender, somewhat more than half as long as the body; 

 prothorax short, three-fifths wider than long, widest near apical 

 third, but with the inflated and extremely finely reflexed sides 

 subcircularly rounded, becoming strongly convergent toward the 

 abrupt constriction, the basal angles slightly less than right and 

 very sharp; apex broadly and deeply sinuate, with sharp angles; 

 surface finely, closely rugulose, strongly impressed at apex and base, 

 the median stria fine and deep; elytra elongate, parallel, with but 

 very feebly arcuate sides, fully one-half longer than wide, slightly 

 more than one-half wider than the prothorax; striae broadly sulci- 

 form, the dividing intervals somewhat acute; dorsal punctures 

 rather strong, the first at three-sevenths, the second a little behind 

 the middle, the third before apical fourth. Length 3.35 mm.; 

 width 1. 18 mm. California (Sta. Rosa) constrictus n. sp. 



There is but very little diversification in anatomical characters 

 suitable for taxonomic use in the species of this genus, which have 

 to be determined therefore in large measure by general habitus, 

 made up of coloration, form 6f the head, eyes and prothorax, depth 

 of elytral striation and some other features; in many respects 

 constrictus is widely distinct from any other species, and its isolation 

 is confirmed by the three dorsal punctures of the elytra instead of 

 the otherwise almost universal two. The species described by 

 LeConte under the name Dromius latens, from the vicinity of the 

 Mississippi River, I do not seem to have at present; it is said to 

 resemble suhsulcatus, but with the elytra less deeply striate, the 

 striae in fact almost indistinct, and it is of a reddish-aeneous tint, 



