130 [January 



our larvae from this family. 



Under such circumstances it is extremely difficult to form an hypothesis 

 as to the insect to which these larvEe belong, however strange it may ap- 

 pear that such should be the case with larvae nearly three inches long, and 

 apparently so common. 



Judging from the occurrence of large sized larvae in the Southern States 

 and of middle sized ones of the same genus in the Middle States, it be- 

 comes evident that this genus is represented by coleoptera at least an inch 

 or an inch and a half long in the former and by smaller species in the lat- 

 ter. There being no such genus either among the Lumpyrklse or Tele- 

 phoridse^ or in their vicinity, we are compelled to look for it among the 

 Ulateridse. This supposition, however improbable, is not entirely out of 

 question since the discovery of the larvae of Cardiophorus and Cryptuht/ij- 

 11 us has proved, that the type of Elaterideous larvae is not so uniform, as 

 it was formerly assumed. The genus MrlaHdctea might perhaps answer 

 the required conditions. 



EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE. 



Fig. 1. Copris Carolina, nat. size; la, head, from above, with slightly o]»ened man- 

 dibles; \h, maxillaj and labium; \c, maxilla. 



Fig. 2. Zenoapicea, nat. size; 2a, maxillfe and labium. 



Fig. 3. Ptilodactyla elaterina, magnified; 3a, maxilla; 36, labium; 3c, antenna; 

 '3d, underside of the head and of the anterior portion of prothorax. 



Fig. 4. Fornax badius, magnified; 4a, head and two first thoracic segments, from 

 above; x tip of maxilla(?); xx mandible(?); y place of insertion of the 

 antenna (?). 



Fig. 5. Fornax orchesides {?), nat. size; 5a, head and portion of prothorax, from be- 

 low, magnified; x minute retractile organ, perhaps tip of maxilla (?) ; 

 XX mandible (?). 



Fig. 6. Parandra brunnea from above, nat. size; 6a, the same from below, magni- 

 fied; 6i, head, from below. 



Fig. 7. Arhopalus pictus, magnified, from above; 7a, from below; the two last ab- 

 dominal segments were somewhat extended in the two specimens from 

 which these figures were drawn; in most of the other specimens, they 

 were like fig. 76, where the last pair of stigmata may be seen on the 

 eighth segment; 7r?, mandibles ; the upjier figure represents the inner 

 surface, the lower one, the profile. 



Fig. S. Unknown larva from Louisiana and New Mexico, nat. size ; Sa, head and 

 prothorax from above, magnified: 86, the same, from below; Sr, mandi- 

 ble; ?id, tip of maxilla. 



