MELANDEYID^E. 475 



larva is long and narrow, cylindrical, the head free from the 

 body, rounded, with stout, broad, triangular mandibles ; the 

 tip of the abdomen is square, with a sharp spine on each 

 side. It is .80 of an inch in length, and of a dark chestnut 

 brown color. 



Leconte. This family is represented by a sin- 

 gle species, ^Eyialites debilis Lee., from Russian America. 



CISTELID^E Latreille. This group, as Leconte states, ' ap- 

 proaches very nearly to the more degraded forms of the Tene- 

 />rionidos., and the degradation of structure is carried still 

 farther by the anterior coxae becoming conical, prominent, and 

 contiguous in certain genera. The only characters to be relied 

 on for isolation in this family are, first, the pectinate claws ; 

 and second, the anterior coxal cavities being closed behind. 

 They are found on leaves and flowers, or under bark." Alle- 

 rii fa at first sight somewhat resembles an Elater. Cistela dif- 

 fers from its allies in having the last joint of the maxillary 

 palpi longer than wide. 



LAGRIID^E Westwood. This inconsiderable family differs 

 from the Tenebrion idw , in the greater prominence of the 

 anterior coxa?, and the dilated penultimate joint of the tarsi, 

 though the larvae differ in being rather long, almost as wide as 

 long, convex above, and with the exception of the large head 

 are thickly covered with hairs. There are two genera, Arthro- 

 macra and Statyra, which are found on leaves and under bark. 



MONOMMID^E Lacordaire. This little group is a very distinct 

 one, composed of small, black, oval, flattened beetles. Mon- 

 omma is confined to the Eastern Continent, and a species of 

 Hyporhagus is found, one on the eastern, the other on the 

 Pacific side of this country. 



MELANDRYID.E Leach. This group comprises a few species 

 of elongate form, with two basal impressions on the prothorax, 

 and the first joint of the hind tarsi is always much elongated. 

 They are found under bark and in fungi. In Melandrya the 



