20 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



ments were studied both as opsuiue objects and cleared with liquor 

 potassi. 



The sclerites of these segments vary a oreat deal in the different 

 tribes and even in the genera of the Tenebrionida^ and are of taxo- 

 nomic value. 



The development of these segments depends a great deal upon the 

 habits of the insect and the manner of oviposition required by the 

 species. In Microsehafia hicvqi/all,s they are developed to a wonder- 

 ful degree and are capable of extrusion to the distance of nearly an 

 inch. 



The different species of the present tribe exhibit considerable 

 variation in this respect and which might be of aid in the classifica- 

 tion of species; but on account of the great amount of work and 

 material required and the time alreadydevoted to this paper. I have 

 not been able to study them nor deemed it wise to further delay the 

 publication of work already done and therefore leave that investiga- 

 tion for a future thesis. 



7 he nude intromitteut apparatui^. — This consists of a carrier, the 

 Edeagophore^ and the intromittent organ proper, the Edeagus^ and 

 its elavw. 



Edeagophore^ usually more or less flax-seed-shaped, somewhat 

 arched, and consisting of two segments or lobes: a basal segment or 

 bod3\ the hasale ; an apical segment or apicale. 



The apparatus has been described in detail for each species. 



The hasale is variable in length, half-cylindrical in form, chitinous 

 above and laterally, membranous beneath, decurved at base into a 

 process Avhich gives attachment to muscles and ligaments by which 

 it is attached to and operated upon by the extrusor mechanism de- 

 scribed above; dorsally it is convex to a varying degree and often 

 depressed, the sides are more or less inflexed beneath for the attach- 

 ment of the ventral membrane — strongly so in Emhaphion and 

 Eleodes planipennis ; the apex is more or less emarginate and adapted 

 to the base of the apicale to which it is attached by articulating mem- 

 brane. {See Plate 7, tig. 2; Plate 2, figs. 1 and 8; Plate 1), figs. 3 to 9.) 



The apicale is always triangular, rarelj'^ subpyriform, more or less 

 depressed and usually sul^acute at apex, sometimes obtuse; the base 

 is more or less lobed and received into the emargination at the apex 

 of the basale; the dorsal surface is more or less convex, frequently 

 membranous at middle, but in the higher forms entirely chitinous; 

 ventral surface is more or less membranous, but chiefly occupied by 

 the edeagus and its protecting clavse, the inflexed and chitinous sides 

 constitute the aLT which occupy tlie greater pai-t of the surface: in 

 one genus the ahv support subala.'. {Eleodimorpha, Plate 7, fig. 8.) 



The alee are inflexed to a varying degree, strongly so when the 

 ventral surface of the apicale is concave, as in Eleodes cordata 



