168 Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 



Maseochara Shp. 



At this point we arrive at a series of genera, sharply dis- 

 tinguished from those which precede by having the hypomera 

 feebly inflexed, in such manner as to be visible in part from a 

 lateral point of view in a strictly horizontal plane. There 

 is nearly as much divergence in general structure among the 

 various genera of this series as in the preceding section of the 

 subtribe, but it may be noted that the mesosternal process is 

 shorter as a rule and there are numerous instances where the 

 tip of this process fails to attain the metasteruum, sometimes 

 by a long distance, — a character never observable in that 

 group of genera. The genus Maseochara is an exception, 

 however, in this respect, as well as in the very widely separa- 

 ted coxae, the mesosternal process attaining or even slightly 

 overlapping the broad apex of the metasternum. The species 

 are generally of large size, comprising in fact the largest of 

 the subtribe and have remarkably opaque integuments, due to 

 a minute recticuliform granulation, the true punctures of the 

 head and pronotum, where this fine sculpture is especially 

 evident, being feeble, sparse and ill defined as a rule. The 

 pubescence is coarse, sparse, generally moderate in length and 

 more or less inconspicuous. The sixth tergite of the male is 

 armed throughout the width of its truncate apex with six long 

 porrect and spiculiform teeth, the three on each side being 

 somewhat curved toward the axial line. These appendages 

 are homologous with the much finer and closer dentiform 

 pectination characterizing the first division of Aleochara, as 

 heretofore noted, but are more plastic or variable and can 

 seldom be employed in the definition of species. The seven 

 species in my cabinet may be described as follows: — 



Large species, never materially less than 7 mm. in length 2 



Small species never notably exceeding 5 ram . In length 6 



2 — Elytra black 3 



Elytra dull rufous ia color ; prothorax transverse 5 



3 — Prothorax almost as long as wide. Body black throughout, the legs 



and tarsi throughout and the antennae, gradually toward base, piceous- 

 black; head and pronotum opaque, the former rather distinctly, the 



