BY THOMAS G. SLOANE. 329 



other side of the elytron when it is detached from the beetle."* 

 This refers to the genus Cicindela; in Distypsidera and Rhyso- 

 pleura the puncturation does not cease within the maculation. 

 Dr. Horn has expressed the opinion, in a letter to me, that the 

 pattern of the elytra in species is so variable that it should be 

 used as sparingly as possible in tabulating them; in fact, he 

 would prefer never to use it in synoptic tables. This opinion 

 /'with which I concur) has considerably influenced my tabulation 

 of the genus Cicindela; but in the genus Distypsidera I have 

 been unable to dispense with colour-differences between the 

 species, though I do not feel confident as to their being very 

 reliable. Notwithstanding the view expressed above on the 

 objection to colour-differences in synoptic tables, colour has an 

 importance in the Cicindelidse that cannot be overlooked, e.g., 



(1) the testaceous elytral margin in many species of Megacephala; 



(2) the median transverse maculae in Distypsidera; and (3) the 

 colour of the under surface, e.g. {a) ferruginous in Cicindela 

 sloanei Lea; (b) seneous in C. ypsilon, C. tetragramma, &c; 

 (c) chalybeous in C. plebeia, C. doddi, &c.f 



Puncturation. — This character is important. In the genus 

 Cicindela, Leng notes four types of elytral puncturation : — 

 (1) "impunctate" (applied to North American species of the 

 C. scutellai-is-growp) ; (2) "simply punctate" when "without 

 elevated granules beside each puncture"; (3) "granulate- 

 punctate" when " the surface is roughened with raised points as 

 well as with depressed punctures"; (4) " semipunctate " when 

 " merely the anterior half is punctate."! I have not used these 

 terms, but would draw attention to the great difference in the 

 puncturation in C. semicincta, C. nigrina, and C. aurita. 



* Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc. xxviii. p. 114, 1902. 



t Having brought this opinion under the notice of Dr. Horn, he wrote in 

 reply : — " I agree completely with you; in my first paper (Monographie der 

 palaarktischen Cicindelen, p.3) I expressed this opinion. Only as a character 

 for species I do not think much of it." 



%Op. cit. p. 112. 



