ELATERID/C. 



Adelocera discoidea is from .3 to .5 in. long; black except 

 for the yellow head and margins of the pronotum. Hiber- 

 nates under bark. 



Elater nigricollis (Plate LXXVII) : head and thorax 

 black; elytra all dull yellowish; occurs under bark and in 

 rotten wood, usually in damp woods. See Corymbites. 

 E. lintetis, similar, but usually smaller, and the elytra are 

 black along the suture and at the apex. Under bark, 

 usually in dry situations. In E. discoideus the black covers 

 all the elytra except for the yellow outer margins. Under 

 the bark of hickory, beech, and other trees. E. rubricollis 

 is .5 to .7 in. long; pronotum, except the apex and hind 

 angles, red ; otherwise black. Under bark and on flowers. 

 E. collaris is similar but is about .3 in. long and has no 

 black on pronotum. E. sanguinipennis is about .3 in. 

 long; pronotum black, elytra all red. E. xanthomus is 

 about the same size but only the bases of the elytra are 

 red; otherwise black. 



Pityobius anguinus is an inch or so long but narrow; 

 black; antennae feathered in male. Usually on pine. 



Corymbites pyrrhos is about .75 in. long; dark reddish- 

 brown; narrow; pronotum relatively long and narrow. 

 C. tarsalis is about the size and color of Elater nigricollis. 

 They belong to different groups of genera, the Elaterini 

 having the hind coxal plates suddenly dilated about the 

 middle, the outer part much narrower than the inner, 

 and the Corymbitini having them gradually, sometimes 

 scarcely, dilated on the inner side. It is such technical 

 differences which make untechnical catch-characters little 

 more than hints. C. hieroglyphicus (Plate LXXVII) 

 is found northward, especially on pine. 



Melanactes piceus is I to 1.4 in. long and polished black. 

 It occurs under stones and rubbish in dry situations. 



Melanotus communis (Plate LXXVII) is found under 

 the loose bark of fallen trees and is widely distributed. 

 With a strong lens its claws are seen to be comb-like. 



The family THROSCID^E "contains only a few small, 

 oblong, black or brownish beetles which resemble the 

 Elaterids and the next family, the Buprestids, in form and 

 in having the prosternum prolonged behind into a spine 



