EEVTSTON OF ELEODITNI BLATSDELL, 175 



opaca it is recognized by the black and shinino- surface, being neither 

 opaque nor pubescent as in that species. 



The el^^tral punctuation is rather fine and closely subseriate. In 

 the large specimens Avith distinct and closely placed series of punc- 

 tures an approach is made toward striolata. (See p. 171.) 



Relationships. — It would be very interesting to determine if, in a 

 very large series o'f specimens collected from all parts of its dis- 

 tributional area, any examples of fusiformis coidd be found with a 

 tendency to having the anterior femora sinuate or feebly dentate, 

 these characters with any tendency to slight prolongation of the 

 elytral apices would show a transition into striolata. I expect this. 



General observations. — The mentum is variable. Usually subtri- 

 angular with the apex more or less rounded, and at times slightly 

 transverse with the anterior margin arcuately rounded from side 

 to side; the surface may be longitudinally convex at middle and more 

 or less foveate laterally, or more or less evenly convex with the fovese 

 obsolete. 



The prosternum is feebly arcuate between the coxa? or subhori- 

 zontal, produced and compressed behind into a stout triangular 

 mucro; anteriorly as in suhnitens. The prosterna in the series at 

 hand are quite homogeneous. 



The mesosternum is arcuately oblicjue and more or less deeply and 

 broadly concave. 



The tibial grooves of the femora are distinctly margined, although 

 not cariniform, the margins are more or less narrowly rounded; the 

 floors are rather concave and glabrous, inwardly and evenly attenu- 

 ate, and not quite reaching the bases of the femora. 



The tibia? are more or less cylindrical in transverse section and not 

 in the least carinate externally; the tarsal grooves are obsolete, 

 although the external surfaces are at times slightly fattened in the 

 apical half. 



The anterior tarsi are slightly stouter in the male than in the 

 female. 



Tarsal fonnula : 



I'ro. Meso. Meta. Metatibiae. 



Male.— 2i 3s 4S 



Female. — 2 J Sg 5 (1 



ELEODES OPACA Say. 



Blaps opaca Say, .Jmirn. Acad. Nat. Sci. riiila., Ill, 1823. p. 262. 



Eleodes (tpaca LeContk, Pi-oc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1858, p. 182; Classif. 



Coleopt. North Amer., 1861, p. 226 (Pronius).— Horn, Trans. Anier. 



Phil. Soc, XIV, 1870, p. 318. 



Fusiform oval, black, opaque, sparsely clothed with whitish or 

 subflavate subsquamiform recumbent hairs, with the dorsum of the 

 elytra quite flat. 



