8 J. L. LECONTE, M. D. 



sides more rounded in the female than in the male, presternum black very sparsely 

 punctured. Antennaj as long as prothorax in female, longer in male, strongly 

 serrate, 3d joint triangular, equal to 4th in male, somewhat smaller in female; 

 7 mm. 



San Joaquim Co., Cal. ; Mr. Bltithner. 



1.3. M. angularis Lee. Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. 1866, 390. Differs from the other 

 species by the hind coxal plates not emarginate in front of the trochanters, but 

 simply truncate, as in Drasterius. 



EL.ATER Linn. 



This genus indicates a central set of species, of tolerably uniform or- 

 o-anization, and may be distinguished as follows : Body more or less cunei- 

 form, pubescent ; front convex, distinctly margined, base of labrum on a 

 lower level ; antennae serrate 3d joint frequently but little wider than 2d, 

 though often as long as the 4th ; prothorax narrowed in front, hind angles 

 long, acutely carinate, basal fissures very short, side margin fine, distinct ; 

 prosternal sutures double, excavated near the anterior lobe, which is 

 rounded and moderately long. Scutel rounded. Elytra strongly striate. 

 Hind coxal plates narrow at the outer part, then rather suddenly dilated, 

 distinctly emarginate from the dilated part to the median line ; tarsi as 

 long as the tibiae, joints 1-4 gradually shorter, 5th again longer, claws 

 slender, not toothed. 



From ]Megapenthes this genus is distinguished by the prosternal sutures 

 excavated in front, from Ludius by the front being distinctly elevated 

 above the labrum, and by the hind coxal plates much narrower at the 

 outer part. 



E. gracilis makes an exception to the other species by the more linear 

 elongate form and the longer more slender antennae and legs. 



Observing that in other genera of Elateridae frequent variations in 

 color occurred, I have availed myself of the circumstance to suppress 

 those species which could not be defined by well marked differences in 

 sculpture. According to the hind angles of the prothorax, thoy may be 

 divided as follows : 



A. — Hind angles of prothorax bioarinate. 



Brown or piceous, pubescence coarse, brown ; prothorax thickly, somewhat 



coarsely punctured; elytra with interspaces distinctly punctured 2. 



Black, pubescence finer black 3. 



Prothorax red, elytra black 4. 



Yellow-brown, pubescence yellow, fine 5. 



