176 
Psyche 
[June 
FOSSIL BEETLE ELYTRA 
By T. D. A. Cockerell 
Boulder, Colorado 
Mr. Darlington’s remarks in the September Psyche sug- 
gest that it may be useful to make a further statement as 
follows : 
(1.) Beetle elytra are of value for stratigraphy, be- 
cause they are present in many different rocks, and often 
in considerable numbers. The faunae are recognizable if 
well figured, and the species are not too few. 
(2.) Fossil elytra are also of value as showing the 
amount of diversification of these structures in different 
periods, and especially the antiquity of various characters 
or structures. 
These two reasons seem to me to justify the description 
and naming of fossil elytra. 
(3.) On the other hand, in the majority of cases it is 
impossible to refer the elytra to definite genera, or in some 
instances to definite families. Thus a species may be recog- 
nizable though its generic position is unknown. In all such 
cases it seems best to use “blanket-genera,” such as Cara- 
bites, rather than to refer the species to numerous sup- 
posedly extinct genera, which cannot be accurately defined. 
(4.) It is however probable that when students inten- 
sively investigate the elytral structures of modern beetles, 
many more good generic characters will be found than are 
now known to exist. If so, it may be possible to return 
to the fossils, and feel some assurance of their correct 
position. 
PARATENETUS CRINITUS FALL 
Sherborn, Mass., has furnished another surprise, or 
rather several of them, in five or six specimens of what ap- 
pears to be the above species which was described from New 
Mexico. At least three of the specimens were taken by 
sifting. The dates of capture are: — May 11, 1913; May 2, 
