496 REVISION OP THE ELATERID.E 



Alaus Esch. 



1. A. oculatus, niger, nitidus, pilis albiclis irregulariter maculatus, thorace convexiusculo, disco 

 utrinque macula magna elliptica nigro-sericea albo-marginata ornato. Long. 1-25 — 1-7. 



Eschscholtz, Thon Ent Archiv., 1829; Germ. Zeitschr. 2, 275. 

 ' JSlater oculatus Linne, Mus. Ubr. 81; Syst. Nat. 2, 651: Fabr. Ent. Syst. 210; Ent. Syst. emend. 

 2, 217; Syst. El. 2, 222: Oliv. 31, 11; tab. 3, fig. 34: Herbst, Kafer, 9, 327; tab. 157, fig. 7: 

 Beauv. 213; tab. 9, fig. 4. 



Common through the Atlantic portions of the United States, extending into Mexico. 

 A variety brought from Texas, by Lieut. Haldeman, has the sides of the thorax entirely 

 covered with the white scales, which usually form only small spots: the eye-like spots are 

 nearly round, and the white scales upon the elytra are more abundant. The thorax of 

 the females is more decidedly narrowed in front, and more convex than that of the males. 



2. A. m y o p s , niger, nitidus, pilis cinereis irregulariter conspersus, thorace minus convexo, an- 

 tice sublatiore, disco utrinque macula angusta elliptica nigro-sericea, cinereo-marginata ornato. 

 Long. -95— 1-8. 



Eschscholtz, Thon Ent. Archiv. 1829 ; Germ. Zeitschr. 2, 275. 

 JSlater myops Fabr. Syst. El. 2, 222. 



JSlater luscustOMv. 31, 12; tab. G, fig. 64: Herbst, Kafer, 9, 329; tab. 157, fig. 8: Beauv. 213; 

 tab. 9, fig. 5. 



Middle States, rare; Southern States, abundant: found also in Oregon by Capt. Wilkes' 

 Exploring Expedition. The confusion in the name of the species seems to have been in- 

 troduced by Olivier applying to it a name given by Fabricius to a distinct species, not 

 known in modern collections: the immaculate body, free from cinereous pubescence, and 

 the absence of any margin to the eye-like spots of the thorax, will fully distinguish E. 

 1 u s c u s , whenever it is found. Fabricius, with a carelessness which is but too frequent in 

 his writings, then quotes Olivier's figure as belonging to his E. luscus, while on the pre- 

 ceding page he has already described the insect figured by Olivier, under the name of E. 

 myops, and which is that by which the species is generally known. Beauvois and Herbst 

 merely copy Olivier's error, considering it as sufficiently endorsed by Fabricius. 



De Geer (Mem. 4, 153, tab. 17, fig. 28) describes a species under an uncouth Gallic 

 name, which it. is not necessary to repeat, and cites E. oculatus Linn, as a synonym: his 

 figure, however, appears to represent the species now under consideration. 



As there is no evidence that Elater luscus Fabr. is found within the limits of the United 

 States, it is not safe to include it in our fauna. 



Cardiophorus Esch. 



The truncate spine of the presternum, 6tting like a wedge into the prominent and 

 deeply cleft mesostemum, will distinguish this group, which contains only one genus: the 

 front is subangulatcd and margined, moderately convex, slightly impressed : the laminse of 

 the posterior coxse are suddenly dilated internally. The tarsi are not lobed in any spe- 

 cies known to me, found in the United States. 



