50 MALACODERMATA. 
thorax is nearly semicircular, but with the length not much shorter than the breadth at 
the base. 
PYRECTOMENA. 
Pyrectomena (Dejean), Motschulsky, Etud. Ent. 1852, p. 37; Leconte, Synops. 3836; Gorham, 
Trans. Ent. Soc. 1880, p. 32. 
This is the only one of Motschulsky’s divisions of Photinus I have felt able to retain. 
It is a natural genus, composed of species with, on the whole, a very uniform and 
distinct aspect. The shape of the thorax and the shortness of the antenne are 
especially characteristic. About nine species are now known to me, all from North 
America or the West Indies. Cuba has one, St. Domingo one or two; the remainder 
from the United States as far north as Lake Superior to Texas. I have seen as yet 
only three species from Central America. 
1. Pyrectomena angulata. (Tab. IV. fig. 19, ¢.) 
Photinus angulatus, Say, Journ. Ac. Phil. v. p. 162. 
Hab. Nortu America, Texas (Belfrage).—MeExico, Puebla (Sailé). 
I cannot find sufficient difference between a single specimen in Sallé’s collection and 
a representative pair of this species sent me by Mr. Belfrage, to warrant their separa- 
tion. The Mexican specimen which we figure has less fuscous marking at the sides 
of the thorax; the seventh or subapical ventral plate of the abdomen is pitchy in the 
middle; and the whole specimen is larger. The thorax is somewhat foreshortened in 
the plate. . 
2. Pyrectomena vexillaria. (Tab. IV. tig. 20.) 
Oblongo-parallela, antice et postice angustata, fusca, capite, antennis basi, prothorace, coxis, femoribus basi, 
scutello, elytrorum margine et sutura abdominisque segmentis ventralibus, quarto excepto, flavis. 
Thorace lateribus parallelis, antice producto, disco macula pallide fusca, angulis posticis acutis, carinula 
subintegra antice minus distincta flava. Long. 15 millim. ¢. 
Hab. Mexico, Vera Cruz (Sailé). 
This has more the form of the very few specimens of this genus I have seen from the 
West-India Islands than of those from the United States; that is, the thorax is more 
advanced in front, and the elytra are more sharply acuminate behind. The underside 
is generally yellow; but the antenne from the fourth joint, the breast, the tibi, tarsi, 
and part of the thighs, the fourth ventral plate and sides of the first three are more or 
less pale fuscous. The pronotum is very long, rather roof-shaped, the ridge being a 
delicate but distinct carina. The basal margin slopes away on each side from the 
centre, meeting the straight sides acutely, and forming a “gable” when viewed 
horizontally. The elytra are fuscous, margined entirely (narrowly at their base) with 
yellow. ‘Two nervures are distinct, but are scarcely visible at the base, and vanish 
before the apex. The antenne are shorter than the thorax. 
A single specimen only is in Sallé’s collection. 
