68 



HENTZ TO HARRIS. 



CHAPEL HILL, April 22, 1829. 



You will observe that the anomaly in Malachius is not of the 

 same nature as in my seven insects. The c? in some species 

 has only four joints in the hand, and otherwise is pentamerous, 

 whilst my insects, and probably yours, have a double anomaly ; 

 they should naturally be placed in the heteromerous division, 

 though they are tetranierous, and the $ has only three joints 

 in the hand. I do not think they ought to be referred to 

 Myeetopliagm. I mean, when I have matured the subject 

 more, to propose a new genus, having my 808 for its type. 



The nails of my 940 are serrated as in the annexed figure : 

 But it does not seem to be a Serropalpus, if S. quadrimacula- 

 tus of Say is one. I have had the insect some two years, 

 but have not named it yet, and at first sight I recog- 

 Fig. 11. nized it from your very excellent sketch. That it is Mr. 

 Say's insect there is no doubt, although the size does not 

 correspond. The palpi, the form of the thorax, the direction 

 of the head, etc., forbid the referring my insect to the same 

 genus with it. Leconte's figure of Mycetopliila does not agree 

 with my insect, but his plate is very badly executed. 



My 143 [= Elater navicellus, Hentz's MSS. Catal.] does not 

 seem to be your Elater liieroylypliicus. This is the exact 

 marking of the elytra. They are striated, but the 

 punctures are nearly equal all over. I should say that 

 the antennas are slightly serrated. The rest of your 

 description agrees. 

 Fig. i 2 - In your supposition in regard to the luminous larva, 

 I agree fully, and will look for the 9 in the season, but I am 

 very unwilling to go into the woods now. They are infested 

 with myriads of ticks which produce an intolerable itching, even 



