REVISION OF ELEODIINI BLAISDELL. 225 



Forma typica has a metatarsus half as long as a metatibia; in 

 foi'ma Ice vis it is distinctly less than one-half as long. In the former 

 type form joints two and three are subequal in length and about one 

 and one-half times longer than wide, and together equal to the fourth ; 

 the first joint is a little shorter than the fourth. In forma Imvis the 

 relative lengths are practically the same. 



Tt api^ears that with each slight variation in size the relative pro- 

 portions between the tarsi and their joints also correspondingly vary, 

 and at the same time the essential specific characters were homoge- 

 neous in the examples tested. 



Of course, these variations must be within normal specific limits. 

 These facts become taxonomic pabulum for those students who recog- 

 nize a new species «very time certain structural elements present 

 slight diiferences in their relative proportions. There are times, of 

 course, when these characters are of great value, but specific instabil- 

 ity must determine their value in a given case, and normal specific 

 vacations must he recognised . 



ELEODES CAUDIFERA LeConte. 



Eleodes caudifera LeConte, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1858, p. 184. — 

 Horn, Trans. Amer. Phil, Soc, XIV, 1870, p. 314. 



Elongate, ovate, caudate. 



Head about twice as wide as long, feebly convex and more or less 

 impressed laterally along the frontal suture ; surface irregularly and 

 rather finely punctate, sparsely so with impunctate areas at center, 

 and densely punctate laterally. Antennm moderate, scarcely com- 

 pressed, last four joints very slightly and gradually dilated, third 

 joint very slightly longer than the fourth and fifth combined; fourth 

 to the seventh, inclusive, subequal; eighth slightly shorter and 

 broader; tenth and eleventh about as wide as long, the latter ovate. 



Pronotimi widest in front of the middle, about one-third wider 

 than long and about twice as wide as the head ; disc rather shining, 

 quite smooth, moderately convex, and slightly declivous at apex and 

 basal angles, more or less impressed and opaque laterally along the 

 margins in the anterior two-thirds, finely and very irregularly punc- 

 tate with impunctate areas at middle ; laterally the opaque area is 

 more or less transversely rugulose and granulate; apex feebly 

 emarginate or truncate, very finely or obsoletely margined; sides 

 evenly and quite strongly arcuate in anterior one-half, quite straight 

 or feebh^ sinuate and convergent from middle to base, marginal bead 

 fine or obsolete; hase slightly arcuate and very finely margined, 

 wider than apex; apical angles rounded, obtuse or minutely denti- 

 form and everted ; basal angles obtuse. 

 59780— Bull. 63—09 15 



