6 GEO. H. HORN, M. D. 



The present essav purposes to deal with the three sub-families 

 named, the Cebrionin^e having been already treated, and the Elater- 

 in^ is of sufficient magnitude to require its being dealt with in a 

 fragmentary manner, as has been begun in the last few years. 



EUCNEMINJE. 



Head convex, mouth inferior, labrum absent, or very slightly visible ; clypeus 

 more or less inflexed, narrowed at its base by the insertion of the antennie ; pro- 

 thorax movalile, but less so than in the Elaterinje ; prosternum without lobe in 

 front ; hind coxal plates laminate. 



The Eucneminae may be divided into two tribes in the following 

 manner : 



Anteunte moderately distant ; last joint of maxillary palpi acute ; jirostenial 

 sutures and side margin parallel Melasini. 



Antennse approximate ; last joint of maxillary palpi dilated ; prosternal su- 

 tures and margin convergent Eucneiniiii. 



Tribe Melasini. 



In this tribe the head is rather broad and less deeply inserted, so 

 that the eyes are free and the mouth not apj^lied against the pros- 

 ternum. 



Two genera are known. 



Tibia' broad, compressed Mela!«is. 



Tibia? slender Tliarops. 



MELA!§»IS Oliv. 



Form elongate, subcylindrical ; antennte not passing the middle of the thorax, 

 distinctly pectinate % or feebly so 9 ! head rather large, moderately convex ; 

 clypeus feel)ly narrowed at base, apex emarginate at middle and sinuate each 

 side ; prothorax wider than long, anterior angles obtuse, the posterior acute and 

 slightly prominent ; lateral margin entire, but not prominent ; prosternal sutures 

 distant and parallel, the lateral marginal lines also nearly parallel with them ; 

 no antennal grooves on the. under side of the thorax ; metasternal episterna 

 covered in front by the elytra, visible posteriorly, epimera concealed ; hind coxal 

 plates very broad internally, narrow externally ; last ventral segment tubularly 

 prolonged, with an ante-apical elevation, segments one to four slightly elevated 

 at the middle of the posterior margin ; legs rather short, the femora stout, the 

 tibiae flat and rather broad, terminated by a single spur ; tarsi robust, rapidly 

 attenuating, the first joint as long as the next three, all joints simple, claws 

 simple. 



Melasis and Tharops are considered by Bonvouloir to form a group 

 apart from the other Eucnemides characterized by the parallel pros- 



