1853.) 989 
each side. The elytra are destitute of a marginal stria; the epipleure have a 
single entire lateral stria, and occasionally a rudiment of a second at the base. 
The pygidium is perpendicular, not inflexed, as in Abreus. The anterior tibie 
are more or less dilated, but always gradually so. The middle and posterior 
tibie are slender. The posterior tarsi are only four-jointed, the portion usually 
composing the basal joint being firmly anchylosed to the second joint. 
To this genus will also belong Hister minutus fwér., and Hister nigricornis 
Ent. Heft., both placed in Abreus by Erichson. 
1. A. discus, rotundatus, minus convexus, nigro-piceus, thorace subtilis- 
sime, elytris subtiliter sat dense punctatis, illo basi marginato, pygidio levi. 
Long. -04. 
Two specimens found in upper Georgia, under bark. Body round, less convex 
than usual, piceous-black, shining. Head very obsoletely punctulate. ‘Thorax 
extremely finely punctulate, with a distinct transverse line at the middle of the 
base. Elytra finely and tolerably densely punctured, very slightly aciculate ; 
epipleurz broad, finely punctulate, lateral stria deep. Pygidium impunctured ; 
under surface finely punctured; legs rufous, anterior tibia gradually very 
slightly dilated. . 
2. A.fimetarius, rotundatus, convexus, piceus vel niger, thorace punctu- 
lato, basi medio marginato, elytris minus subtiliter punctatis postice subtiliter 
aciculatis, pygidio impunctato, alutaceo. Long. -04. 
Abreus fimetarius Lec., Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist. 5, 54. 
A pretty large species, found in the Southern and Middle States, in dung and 
under stones. Head very finely punctulate. Thorax not densely, very finely 
punctured, with a transverse marginal line at the middle of the base. Elytra 
not densely, somewhat coarsely punctured, punctures becoming small poste- 
riorly and intermixed with dense fine scratches; towards the base there are 
usually one or two oblique abbreviated striz visible, which, however, are some- 
times entirely obsolete ; epipleure inferiorly smooth, lateral stria deep. Pygi- 
dium impunctured, slightly chagrined. Under surface sparsely punctured; 
anterior tibie scarcely dilated. 
A specimen found by Dr. Schaum at New Orleans, has the basal elytral striw 
very deep, and between them about the middle, is a shorter, also oblique stria. 
I can find no other difference between it and the others. 
From the difficulty of perceiving the characters of such minute species, the 
descriptions of my father are by no means as accurate in this genus as in the 
others contained in his Monograph. Under this species he says that the thorax 
is not margined posteriorly, but has a row of larger punctures. Now in all the 
species which have the posterior line discernible, it is formed by the limit of a 
series of basal punctures or aciculations, and is not an engraved distinctly de- 
fined line. 
3. A. strigosus, rotundatus, convexus, vix ovalis, piceus, thorace densius 
punctulato, basi medio marginato, elytris confertim punctatis postice subtiliter 
dense aciculatis, pygidio impunctato. Long. :03. 
Two specimens from Georgia. ‘This species resembles very much A. fime- 
tarius, but is smaller, and the punctures of the thorax are denser and more 
distinct; the punctures of the elytra are smaller. Body rounded, convex, 
scarcely oval, shining piceous. Thorax densely, distinctly punctulate, strongly 
margined at the middle of the base. Elytra moderately punctured, punctures 
becoming small posteriorly, where they are mingled with fine dense scratches; 
epipleure almost smooth, lateral striadeep. Pygidium impunctured, obsoletely 
chagrined. Postpectus and abdomen sparsely punctured, anterior tibie very 
slightly dilated. 
4, A. conformis, rotundatus, convexus, vix ovalis, piceus vel rufo- 
piceus, thorace subtiliter punctulato, basi medio marginato, elytris punctatis 
postice subrugosis, lateribus levibus stria laterali profunda, pygidio impunctato. 
Long. :023. 
Georgia, under bark. Similar in form to A. fimetarius, but only half as 
