190 [October 
subimago together, and endeavored to comprehend both in one descrip¬ 
tion, if I have correctly identified Say’s species. 
On the whole, if B. femorata Walsh, is not identical with B.femo- 
rata Say, what other known species is identical ? Dr. Hagen knows 
of none, and I know of none. There are some slight discrepancies, it 
is true, in Say’s description, but we are often compelled to overlook 
these, when no other species can be found to which the original de¬ 
scription better applies. For example, in Coleoptera, Elater sangui- 
nipenni^ is described by Say as having the elytra striate,” not “ punc¬ 
tate-striate,” as they are in the species now referred by common con¬ 
sent to mngumipennu. On the other hand, in Elater (corymbites) 
flieroghjphicus the elytra are said by Say to be “ striated, the striae with 
very distinct punctures and the interstitial spaces punctured;” whereas 
in the species now generally referred to hieroglyphic^ Say, the elytra 
are not strictly speaking punctate-striate, but the striae are merely 
irregularly encroached upon by the fine punctures of the interstitial 
spaces. Nobody but those who have tried it can be aware how difficult 
a task it is to draw up perfectly faultless descriptions. Say’s descrip¬ 
tions are generally admirable, so far as they go, but even Say has com¬ 
mitted some errors. It may be added that Say’s species is said to have 
occurred at Cincinnati, Ohio, “ not in any considerable numbers,” and 
that my species occurs quite sparsely at Rock Island, Illinois. If the 
two should eventually prove not to be identical, I would propose for 
mine the name of B. interUneata, in allusion to the remarkable black 
line on the middle of the costa which occurs also in Paling enia inter- 
punctata Say. 
In regard to Dr. Hagen’s remark, that in the imago of this species 
abdominal joint I is piceous, and that it is 2—6 which are whitish, not 
I—5, as [ have described them, I can only state briefly that, in my 
opinion, what Dr. Hagen considers as the 1st abdominal joint is in 
reality the metathoracic postscRtellum. At all events, besides this dis¬ 
puted joint, there exists in the abdomen of all Ephemerina the typical 
number of 9 joints, all bearing spiracles except the last, which cannot 
therefore be considered as a mere anal plate, because then the last ab¬ 
dominal joint would bear spiracles, which, so far as I know, is never 
the ease with any insect in any one of its states. Similarly, I believe 
that in Odonata what Messrs. Selys and Hagen and preceding neuropte- 
