COLEOPTERA. 347 



Our second section, or that of the Malacodermi is divided 

 into five tribes. In the first, or the Cebrionites, so named 

 from the genus Cebrio of Olivier, on which all the others de- 

 pend, the mandibles terminate in a simple or entire point, the 

 palpi are of equal thickness or more slender at the extremity, 

 the body is rounded and convex in some, oval or oblong, but 

 arcuated above, and inclined anteriorly in others. It is usually 

 soft and flexible; the thorax is transversal, widest at base, 

 and its lateral angles acute, or in several even prolonged into 

 spines. The antejmse are generally longer than the head and 

 thorax. The legs are not contractile. 



Their habits are unknown. Many of them are found on 

 plants in aquatic localities. They may all be united in one 

 genus, that of 



Cebrio, Oliv. Fab. 



Some, which establish a connection between this and the preceding 

 tribe, which are even of as firm and solid a consistence as the Ster- 

 noxi, whose legs are never fitted for leaping, and whose body is gene- 

 rally an oblong oval, with the antennae of the males either pectinated, 

 flabellated, or serrated, the palpi filiform or somewhat longer at 

 the extremity, and the posterior angles of the thorax prolonged into 

 an acute point, present mandibles projecting beyond the labrum, 

 narrow, and highly arcuated or in the form of hooks. The labrum 

 is usually very short, and emarginated or bilobate. 



There, as in the Elaterides, the presternum terminates posteriorly 

 in a point, received into a cavity in the mesosternum. 



The antennae, which in the males of some species are long, are 

 composed of eleven pectinated or serrated joints. The last joint of 

 the palpi is almost cylindrical or forms a reversed cone. 



it, and therefore was unable to study its characters in detail. Two Insects from 

 Java present a similar appearance, only here, and probably in the females, the 

 antennx are simply serrated. The mandibles appeared to me to terminate in an 

 entire or edentated point. The last joint of the palpi is somewhat larger and 

 almost obconical- If the mandibles of the Phylloceri be similar, these exotic spe- 

 cies must be their congeners. 



Of the numerous and beautiful species of Elaterides, proper to the United 

 States, we will merely name the E. areolatus, dorsalis, bellus, recticullis, obesus, ery- 

 tropus, oculatus, myops, convexa, triangularis, mancus, basilaris, auripilis, abbreviate, 

 iisectus, rubricollis, &c, he, &c. See Say's paper on Coleop. Insects, &e. Jour. 

 Ac. Nat. Sc. of Philad. Ill, p. 167, et seq. Am. Ed. 



