THE CLICK BEETLES. 703 



I. MELASIS Oliv. 1790. (Gr., "black.") 



Elongate, cylindrical beetles having the antennas distinctly pecti- 

 nate in male, feebly so in female; prosternal sutures distant and 

 parallel; no antenna! grooves on under side of thorax; hind coxal 

 plates very broad on inner side, narrow externally; last ventral seg- 

 ment prolonged, with a slight elevation before the apex. One of the 

 two known species occurs in Indiana. 



1327 (4025). MELASIS PECTINICORNIS Melsh., Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., 



II, 1844, 148. 



Elongate, subcylindrical. Piceous or black, opaque; sparsely clothed 

 with very short grayish pubescence; antennae reddish-brown, barely reach- 

 ing middle of thorax. Thorax broader than long, slightly narrowed be- 

 hind ; sides rather deeply sinuate in front of hind angles, which are acute 

 and divergent, male; or faintly sinuate, the angles not divergent, female; 

 disk with a distinct median impressed line, coarsely punctured and with 

 elevated grannies. Elytra slightly narrowing behind the middle, the tips 

 acute; surface with rather deep, punctured strife; intervals slightly con- 

 vex, granulate and rugose. Length 6-8 mm. 



Posey County ; scarce. April 9-April 15. Emerging from bark 

 of standing beech on the former date ; beneath bark of soft maple 

 on latter. Occurs from Pennsylvania to Texas, but usually rare. 



II. THAROPS Cast. 1835. (A mythological name.) 



This genus comprises two small species, one of which was de- 

 cribed by Say from Indiana. 



1328 (4027). THAROPS RUFICORNIS Say, Journ. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., Ill, 



1823, 106; ibid. II, 307, 626. 



Subcylindrical, slender, slightly narrowed behind the 

 middle. Piceous black ; elytra usually with an elongate, 

 triangular sutural yellowish space. Antennas and legs 

 reddish-brown, the former not passing the hind angles 

 of thorax; those of male with joints 4 to 10 each fur- 

 nished with a branch as long as the entire antennae, 

 eleventh joint as long as the branch of the tenth, but 

 stouter. Thorax longer than wide, sides nearly parallel, 

 hind angles short ; disk moderately convex, rather dense- 

 ly punctured. Elytra striate, rather densely and roughly 

 punctured. Last ventral segment acute at tip. Length 

 4-7 mm. (Fig. 274.) 



Kosciusko, Lawrence, Dubois and Perry coun- Flg ' 

 ties ; scarce. May 12- June 20. Occurs on beech 

 and soft maple. Say, after describing this species from Arkansas, 

 found other specimens near New Harmony, Posey County, and re- 

 [4523402] 



