270 SERBICORNIA. 



the Old World in the absence of propleural grooves for the reception of the antennae, 

 and were at one time separated by Candeze under the name Calais. The North- 

 American species are of large size and have an ocellated spot on either side of the 

 thorax ; one of these extends into Mexico. Our three other species, of each of which 

 I have only seen a single example, are of a South-American type. In some specimens 

 of various species the mesosternal suture is almost or quite obliterated, and on 

 this account the genus Alaus is placed by Leconte and Horn in their Tribe 

 " Chalcolepidiini." 



Prothorax with an ocellated spot on either side ; size very large lusciosus. 



Prothorax without ocellated spots ; size smaller. 



Elytra long and subparallel ; upper surface with whitish scales, variegated with 



brown plebejus. 



Elytra shorter and narrowing almost from the base. 



Upper surface black, variegated with blackish-brown and white scales ; suture 



not carinate at the base nietoi. 



Upper surface in great part ferruginous, uniformly clothed with minute golden- 

 green scales ; suture strongly carinate at the base suturalis. 



1. Alans lusciosus. 



Elater lusciosus, Hope, in Griff. Anim. Kingd. i. p. 363, t. 31. fig. 5 \ 



Alaus lusciosus, Cand. Revis. Elat. p. 153 2 . 



Alaus gorgops, Lee. Journ. Acad. Phil. 2nd ser. iv. p. 35 (1858) 3 . 



Hob. North America, Kansas 3 , South-east United States 2 . Texas. — Mexico 1 (Salle, 

 ex coll. Sturm ; coll. Janson). 



I have seen six specimens of this species from Mexico, not one of which is ticketed 

 with any definite locality. A. lusciosus is probably nothing more than a variety of 

 A. oculatus, Linn. 



2. Alaus plebejus. (Tab. XL fig. 11, $ .) 



Alaus plebejus, Cand. Revis. Elat. p. 152 \ 



Eab. Nicaragua, Chontales (Belt). — South America, Cayenne l . 



One female specimen from Chontales, differing from the type in having the thorax 

 and elytra less distinctly variegate with brown scales. 



3. Alaus nietoi. (Tab. XL fig. 15, $ .) 



Calais nietoi, Salle, Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1873, p. 15, t. 9. figg. 4, 4 a 1 . 

 Alaus nietoi, Cand. Revis. Elat. p. 73 2 . 



Eab. Mexico, Orizaba (Salle 1 2 ). 



The type of this species, a female, is contained in our collection. It has the apex 

 of the abdomen truncate and fimbriate. 



