22 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



the median ventral surface of the edeagiis, may be visible between 

 them ^vhen they are lateral as in Embaphion, and ventrad but not 

 contiguous as in Kleodimorpha. 



The female genital segment (Plate 7, figs. 3 and 4). — Viewed from 

 a])Ove it has an outline varying somewhat according to the subgenus: 

 triangular in BlapyVts. (juadrate in Melaneleode.s^ trapezoidal in 

 Eleodes and subparabolic in Steneleodes. 



The dorsal surface varies but is usually more or less plane to sub- 

 ogival; ventrally convex — strongly so at base and gradually less so 

 apically. 



The segment consists of two chitinous valves concealing and pro- 

 tecting the pudenda between them. The vahes are movable on a lat- 

 eral plane, in abduction exposing the genital orifice and its sur- 

 rounding pudendal membrane. 



Each valve {ralrula) consists of a body {corpus valimln') and an 

 apex {apex vahnda'). 



The body is always chitinous; the apex usually membranous and 

 distinctly define from the body, sometimes completely chitinous and 

 not differentiated. 



The superior wall of each valve is formed by the dorsal plate {lamina. 

 dormliK) which is variable in form; its surface usually more or less 

 plane, but may be quite strongly concave. Each plate presents an 

 external, internal, and aj^ical border; at the junction of the external 

 and apical borders an angle is formed, which may be distinct or more 

 or less obsolete. 



The internal borders of the dorsal plates are not usually contiguous 

 but distant at base, converging posteriorly, and between which is the 

 more or less exposed superior pudendal membrane. The apical mar- 

 gin is generally defined from the surface of the apex; in some species 

 it is not. The external border is generally more or less explanate, 

 and beneath wdiich is situated the submarginal groove {sulcus suh- 

 TnargiiKdis). 



The lateral and ventral walls of a valve are formed bj^ a continuous 

 plate, the lamind ventrodateralis^ which is connate above Avith the 

 doi'sal plate. It presents for examination a surface and an internal 

 border. The surface is strongly convex at base, frequently prominent 

 laterally, forming the has(d prominences, much less convex apically 

 and generally uiore or less impressed before the apex, with which it 

 IS directly continuous. 



The internal margins of the venti'o-lateral jjlates of the two valves 

 are not usually contiguous throughout their entire length in the mid- 

 ventral line, but sej)arated by the more or less fusiform genital 

 fissure {p'ssi/r</ (/<'n!f<dls). AVhen this fissure is basad to the middle 

 it is spoken of as being sithlxisal ; when at the luiddle it is median^ and 



