Coleopterological Notices, VII. 317 



A single male, taken in the same locality as decipiens, which I 

 have attached to that species as a variety, is remarkably different 

 in facies because of its wider prothorax and depressed elytra, 

 but so similar in other respects that it is evidently inadvisable 

 to announce it specifically distinct until more examples can be 

 examined. 



9. B. punctatus Lee. — Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., 1859, p. 69; Mots.: 

 Kafer Euss., p. 90; Horn: Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc, VI I, 1879, p. 182. 



Moderately robust, black, feebly shining. Head moderately 

 elongate, subopaque ; gense incised. Prothorax cordate, a little 

 longer than wide ; sides in front moderately arcuate, posteriorly 

 feebly sinuate; hind angles subrectangular ; disk subopaque, 

 feebly convex ; basal impression deeper than the others ; margin 

 very narrow. Elytra oval, ventricose, with very fine, scarcely 

 impressed striae which have deep and rather large punctures mod- 

 erately closely placed ; lateral intervals confused ; inflexed por- 

 tion of elytra very obsoletely punctate. Body beneath black, 

 shining. Length 13-18 mm. [Horn]. 



California (Tejon). As an illustration of the fact, alluded to 

 in the introduction to the present paper, that species in the 

 Coleoptera which superficiall}'- resemble each other to an extreme 

 degree may in reality be profoundly difl'erent, the following re- 

 mark of Dr. Horn may be quoted : '• This species, and mimus of 

 the preceding group, resemble each other so closely that it is 

 hardly possible to distinguish them. In this species the hind 

 angles of the thorax are less decidedly rectangular, in mimus 

 very distinctlj" so."* 



10. B. graTidus n. sp. — Strongly ventricose, dull, the elytra feebly alu- 

 taceous witli the minute reticulations very evident, deep black throughout. 

 Head much elongated, moderate in width, the gense feebly developed but with 

 a distinct subangulate emargination ; vertex smooth, the supra-orbital ridges 

 fine and strong, more elevated at the antennae, the latter setaceous, ^ as long 



* There are hundreds of cases where really distinct species are unscientific- 

 ally bunched together in our cabinets, merely because there is no superficial 

 structural character apparent to distinguish them. Under patient research the 

 character can generally be found, and in many cases will be internal, either 

 affecting the genitalia or perchance the alimentary canal or other unexpected 

 tract, but always evincing itself by an outward peculiarity of habitus, the 

 force and weight of which can only be appreciated after the reviewer has made 

 himself intimately familiar with the subject by prolonged and attentive study. 



Annals N. Y. Acad. Sci., IX, March, 1897.— 22. 



