484 BULLETIN GH, UNITED 8TATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



median line; scutellum very feebl}' entering between the elytra, the 

 latter not margined at base nor adapted to the prothoracic base, 

 suture and four costa^ each side acutely elevated; epipleura? narrow, 

 entirely overlapped by the metasternal side pieces and first three 

 abdominal segments, exposed and horizontal opposite the last two 

 segments; i^rosternum quite strongly protuberant ventrally before the 

 coxse and produced behind : mesosternum deeply concave ; metaster- 

 num and first two abdominal segments at middle, broadly and shal- 

 lowly concave; intercoxal process of first abdominal segment broader 

 than long; profemora more or less armed with a tooth at outer 

 fourth; anterior tibia^ more or less compressed and arcuate. 



The above diagnosis differs in several important points from that 

 given by LeConte or Horn. 



The laterally dilated epistoma with sides arcuate is in contrast to 

 the condition in the other genera of the present tribe, where the 

 sides of the epistoma are sinuate or straight and convergent ante- 

 riorly. 



The epistoma in the present genus appears longer on account of the 

 dilatation and less broadly sinuate anterior margin. In most of the 

 specimens before me the labrum is not visible. l)ut in others it is 

 entirely uncovered as in EJeodes', and in all probalulity it is capable 

 of greater retraction than in the other genera of the tril)e, where it 

 is retractile to a less degree. 



The mandibles are not visil)le from above — except slightly in the 

 sinuation of the labrum — as in Eleoden, Emhaphlon^ and EJeod'i- 

 TTborpha, and this is no doubt due in part to the fact that the mouth 

 parts are not so strongly developed or prognathic as in the above 

 genera. 



In the Scaurini {Ccreno'pns and Argoporh) the labrum is entirely 

 invisible from above and apparently deeply concealed beneath the 

 produced epistoma, at least I have never seen it protruded. 



The scutellum does not enter between the elytra to any extent in 

 costatii.s^ but more so in tuhcmdatus. 



The epipleurjT while narrow, are nearly entirely inflexed nboM' and 

 overlapped by the metasternal side pieces and first three abdominal 

 segments, but they are visible beneath the humeri opposite the meso- 

 sterum, horizontal and exposed near the apex opposite the last two 

 abdominal segments. I have not observed such an extreme condi- 

 tion elsewhere in the Eleodiini, ahhough it is more or less indicated 

 in sporadic instances. 



All specimens that I have examined are identical in this respect. 



The habitus of the insect might be considered somewhat discordant 

 in the present tribe, but no moi-e so than in the cases of Eleodes 

 granosa and veterator in that genus. 



