﻿274 LE CONTE.- SYNOPSIS OF THE 



The head is hardly one-fourth narrower than the thorax, which differs remarkably 

 in form from that of any other species in the group, in not being conspicuously 

 narrowed in front. The under surface is coarsely punctured, more sparsely at the 

 middle of the metosternum ; the punctures support very short hairs. 



5. SERICA. 



This group is readily known from all the others by the labrum being connate with 

 the clypeus, and very frequently indistinct ; in addition, the anterior coxse are conical 

 and prominent ; the abdominal segments are hardly connate, the penultimate dorsal and 

 ventral are separated by a straight suture, and the stigma is concealed in the anterior 

 angle. 



The genus Serica M'Leay, the only one found in our territory, belongs to the divi- 

 sion of genuine Sericse, having the posterior coxse dilated, and the ligula corneous and 

 connate with the mentum ; it may be thus separated into two groups : 



A. Clypeus utrinque acute incisus ; corpus haud micans. Sp. 1 — 4. Camptorhina Kirhy. 



B. Clypeus simplex ; corpus sericeo-micans. Sp. 5 — 15. Serica (proper). 



Serica M'Leay. j 



A. 



1. S. vespertina, oblongo-ovata, convexa picea nitida, margine breviter fimbriata, olypeo densius, 



capite thoraceque sat dense punctatis, fronte transversim impresso, elytris sulcatis, sulcis iu fundo 



confluenter fortiter punctatis, interstitiis parce punctatis. Long. -35 — -42. 

 Dej. Cat. ; Leconte, Agassiz' Lake Superior, 226. 



Melolontha vespertina Scbonh. Syn. Ins. Append. 94 ; Say, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sc. 3, 244. 

 Omaloplia vespertina Harris, Ins. Inj. Vegetation, 2nd ed. 29. 

 Serica vespertina Burm. Lamell. 2, 2nd, 175. 

 Camptorhina atricapilla Kirby, Fauna. Bor. Am. 129. 



Middle, Southern, Eastern and Western States, as far as Lake Superior. 



2. S. t ex an a, oblonga convexa, testacea margine breviter fimbriata, clypeo confertim punctato, ad 



apicem truncate, paulo magis producto, capite parce, thorace subtilius sat dense punctato, elytris 

 sulcatis, sulcis in fundo punctatis, interstitiis punctis paucis notatis. Long. -32. 



Found at Fort Gates, Texas, by Mr. H. Haldeman. This species is smaller than 

 the preceding, and less dilated behind ; the clypeus is longer, the lateral incisure of 

 the anterior part is not so deep, the thorax is more convex and more finely punctured, 

 and the elytra are less punctured. 



3. S. atratula, oblongo-ovata, piceo-nigra, margine vix breviter fimbriata, clypeo confertim punctato 



antice truncate, fronte transversim impressa, capite parcius, thorace densius punctato, elytris profundius 



sulcatis, sulcis in fundo punctatis, antennis palpisque rufo-flavis. Long. -26. 

 One specimen from Texas, Mr. H. Haldeman. Differs from the preceding by the 

 more ovate body dilated behind, by the transversely impressed front, the more strongly 

 punctured thorax, and more deeply sulcate elytra. The clypeus, as in S, texana, is 

 less deeply incised at the side than in S. vespertina. 



