536 SUBFAMILY XII. COSSOXIXJE. 



the larvae feeding upon dried cereals and other food materials. 

 Chittenden (1911) states that it was first recorded as "beaten 

 from dead twigs," (Schwarz), and "as living under the bark of 

 dead and decaying wood," (Rilci/}, as do most other Cossonids. 

 In 1895 it was found to be attacking chick-peas at the Atlanta 

 exposition, and since then has become known as an enemy of 

 Indian corn and the seeds of the alligator pear. Cossonus pinguis 

 Horn and CatiJophihis scitlpturatus Woll. are synonyms. 



X. MESITES Sclion., 1837. (Gr., "intermediate.") 



Elongate subcyliudrical species having the beak slender, sub- 

 terete, male, cylindrical, female, twice as long as head, deflexed, 

 feebly curved; antennae inserted about or slightly behind the 

 middle, club small, short, ovate; funicle stout, second joint short; 

 thorax oblong, narrowed in front, moderately convex above, both 

 base and apex truncate; scutellum round, minute; elytra convex, 

 elongate, subcylindrical; tibise armed at outer angle of apex with 

 a strong curved claw and at inner angle with a short spine. 



KEY TO SPECIES OF MESITES. 



a. Elytra black, their intervals with two irregular rows of rather coarse 



punctures. 840. SUBCYLINDBICUS. 



aa. Elytra red, intervals each with a single irregular row of small punc- 



tures. 841. BUFIPEXNIS. 



840 (9035). MESITES SUBCYLIKDBICUS Horn, 1873, 441. 



Subcylindrical. Black or piceous, shining. Beak slightly longer than 

 half the thorax, very feebly curved, terete, coarsely punctured, finely 

 grooved above and with an impressed puncture between the eyes. Anten- 

 nae stout, club scarcely broader than funicle. Thorax longer than wide, 

 apex feebly constricted, sides broadly curved, base slightly narrowed; disc 

 convex, coarsely and unevenly punctured, the median line and an oval space 

 on each side in front of middle smooth. Elytra not wider than thorax, 

 nearly cylindrical; stria? moderately deep, coarsely not serrately punctured; 

 intervals feebly convex, each with two irregular rows of rather coarse punc- 

 tures, those at apex more rugulose. Beneath moderately punctured. 

 Length 6.5 mm. 



Flatbush, X. Y. ; "from a Dutch dictionary." (Zabrixkir. i 

 Cape May and Anglesea, X. J., under bark of washed up pine 

 logs ; July. On seashore at Cape Henlopen, Del. 



841 (9036). MESITES KUFIPENNIS Lee., 1878, 432. 



Elongate, cylindrical. Black, glabrous, shining; elytra palei red, 

 their tips often dusky; antennae, beak and legs reddish-brown. Head and 

 dilated base of beak very finely and sparsely punctured, the former with a 



