484 REVISION OF THE ELATER1DA: 



auritus, and easily distinguished from both by the punctuation of the thorax being com- 

 posed of large and small points intermixed: a large series of specimens would undoubtedly 

 show great variations in colour. 



8. M. bell us, crassiusculus, niger, flavo-pubescens, thorace distinctius punctato, linea dorsali an- 

 gulisque posticis brevibus testaceis, elytris lineolis pluribus maculaque ante apicem testaceis, striis 

 antice valde punctatis, interstitiis subtilissime punctulatis, pedibus antennisque flavis, his extrorsum 

 crassioribus, articulis 2 et 3 asqualibus, 4 to vix longiore. Long. "14 — -16. 



Dej. Cat. p. 98. 



Elater bellus Say, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sc. 3, 168. 



Cryptoliypnus bellus Germ. Zeitschr. 5, 147. 



Abundant in the middle and Western States. Although Germar affirms positively that 

 the fourth tarsal joint is not lobed, I find no difficulty in distinguishing the appendage, 

 when it is not obscured by dust; it seems, in proportion to size, quite as distinct as in M. 

 auritus. 



C. Tarsi articulo 4 to non lobato : Jrons convexa. 



9. M. c omis, testaceus, subtiliter longius pubescens, capite piceo, thorace latitudine longiore an- 

 tice angustato, et lateribus rotundato, sat dense subtilius punctato, vitta dorsali seepe dilatata picea, 

 elytris striis subtilibus punctatis, interstitiis vix subtilissime punctulatis, vitta dorsali antice abbre- 

 viata ssepissime cum sutura confluente, fasciaque postica nigro-piceis, postpectore abdomineque piceis. 

 Long. -22— -3. 



California: found at San Francisco and San Jose. This species resembles, in appear- 

 ance, M. dorsalis, but is at once distinguished by the finer punctures of the thorax, and 

 the less deep and less strongly punctured stria? of the elytra: the pubescence is longer 

 and denser, although not less fine. The general form of the markings of the elytra is that 

 of M. dorsalis, but the dorsal vitta does not appear to be ever interrupted, nor is it ever 

 well separated from the suture, and is most frequently entirely confluent with the suture. 

 The presternum seems to be always more or less piceous. 



10. M. livens, testaceus, subtiliter longius pubescens, capite subinfuscato, thorace latitudine lon- 

 giore, antice angustato et lateribus rotundato, sat dense minus subtiliter punctato, vitta dorsali antice 

 abbreviata infuscata, s?epe obsoleta, elytris striis modice profundis punctatis, interstitiis subtilissime 

 punctulatis, sutura, vitta dorsali antice paulo divergente fasciaque postica infuscatis. Long. "29. 



California, at Vallccitas and at the Colorado river. Differs from the preceding by the 

 coarser punctuation of the thorax, and the uniform yellow colour of the under surface. 

 In one specimen the fuscous markings of the upper surface are reduced to an angulated 

 band near the tip of the elytra, and slightly dilated along the suture. 



11. M. circumscriptus, nigro-piceus, subtiliter parce pubescens, thorace latitudine longiore, 

 testaceo, vitta dorsali dilatata nigro-picea, confertim minus subtiliter punctato, elytris striis punc- 

 tatis, sat profundis, interstitiis punctulatis, testaceis vitta integra nigro-picea postice cum sutura con- 

 fluente; abdomine lateribus rufescente, antennis pedibusque flavis. Long. *2- — '3. 



Elater circumscriptus Germ. Ins. Nov. 46. 



? Cryptoliypnus circuinsrn'i>tus Germ. Zeitschr. 5, 146. 



Middle and Southern States. I place a query before the last synonym, as nothing is 



