1853.] 291 
~ 
becoming slightly aciculate posteriorly; there is a slight vestige of an oblique 
stria at the base; the epipleure are almost smooth, the lateral stria deep; the 
pectus and abdomen are scarcely punctured; the pygidium is impunctured; the 
anterior tibie are gradually and broadly dilated. 
9. A. exiguus, oblongus, fere depressus, niger, thorace densius, elytris 
distinctius punctatis, pygidio punctulato. Long. -03. 
Abreus exiguus Erichson, Klug’s Jahrb., 208. 
Abreus aciculatus Le Conte, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist. 5, 54; tab. vi. fig. 10. 
Abreus obliquus Le Conte, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist. 5,54; tab. vi. fig. 12. 
Abundant in the Southern States, and found also at Fort Laramie, Nebraska. 
Body oblong, subdepressed. ‘Thorax densely, distinctly punctured, sometimes 
slightly rugous. Elytra more coarsely punctured, posteriorly more or less 
aciculate ; lateral stria deep. Postpectus and abdomen coarsely punctured. Py- 
gidium finely but distinctly punctulate. Feet rufous, anterior tibie very 
slightly dilated. 
There is frequently a trace of an oblique stria at the base of the elytra; the 
concavity of the epipleure in this, as in some other species, causes the lateral 
stria in some lights to appear double. 
Two specimens, which appear somewhat broader and more depressed than 
urdinary, form Abreus obliguus Lec., but after a very close examination, I can- 
not find any sufficient distinction. By the thorax in the one described being 
dislocated, so as to show the posterior edge, it was incorrectly described by my 
father as margined at the base. 
A. atomus, rotundatus, fere depressus, rufus, thorace elytrisque aciculato- 
punctatis, pygidio vix punctulato. Long. -03. 
One specimen from Cuba, kindly sent by Don Felipe Poey. Body circular, 
depressed, shining rufous. Head finely punctulate. Thorax and elytra coarsely 
and densely punctured, punctures somewhat aciculate; epipleure ? Pygidium 
finely and obsoletely punctulate ; anterior tibie not dilated. . 
I am not able to make a satisfactory examination of the under surface, but the 
form, color and punctuation are sufficient to separate it at once from the pre- 
‘ceding species, to which alone it is allied. 
Bacanius Lec. 
Prosternum latum, postice truncatum, antice breviter lobatum, et late rotun- 
datum, non striatum; mandibule subretracte ; scrobiculi antennales magni, 
diffusi, ad medium thoracis partis inflexe siti; antenne funiculo tenui, articulis 
penultimis rotundatis, capitulo ovali modice compresso; pygidium inflexum ; 
tibie antice dilatate, posteriores anguste ; tarsi omnes 5-articulati. 
Although from the want of specimens for dissection, | am able to give but a 
meagre description of this genus, the characters above stated will show the ne- 
cessity of separating it from Abrus, with which, from the size and form of the 
body, the species might be confounded. The distinction between this genus and 
Dendrophilus is however not so well defined ; for the present if can be said, that 
the prosternum in Dendrophilus is rounded posteriorly and elevated im the middle 
and bistriate; the mesosternum is emarginate ; the middle and posterior tibie 
are broadly dilated, and the pygidium is perpendicular. 
Paromalus has the prosternum similar to Dendrophilus. In both the mesos- 
ternum is emarginate, while in Bacanius it is truncate. 
The species constituting the second division below, ought probably to form a 
new genus, but the specimen has lost the antenne, and I therefore postpone the 
farther consideration of the subject till new specimens were obtained. - : 
1. B. tantillus, rotundatus, cconvexus, rufus, nitidus, minus subtiliter 
punctatus, elytris stria marginali antice abbreviata, pygidio punctulato. Long. 
°035. 
Middle and Southern States, under bark and in fungi. Body convex round, 
almost globose, brownish red, shining. Head finely sparsely punctulate. Thorax 
not densely, distinctly punctured. Elytra more coarsely punctured than the 
