AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. 243 



NKCROPIIILiUS Latr. 

 Head oval, not narrowed behind the eyes which are round and moderately 

 prominent. Labrum transverse, feebly emarginate. Antennae free at base, 

 nearly reaching the base of the thorax, slightly geniculate, first joint moderate 

 in length, a little stouter toward the tip, second half as long and more slender, 

 third as long as the first, slightly curved, gradually stouter to tip, 4 — 5 — 6 

 gradually shorter, together about one-half longer than the tliird,last five joints 

 forming a loose club, seventh joint conical, joints 8—10 broader than long, 

 eleventh oval, pointed at tip, the first six joints glabrous, shining, last five 

 punctured and finely pubescent. Maxillary palpi moderate!}' long, first joint 

 very short, second slender at base gradually thicker, third half as long as 

 second, obconical, fourth cylindrical as long as second pointed at tip. Anterior 

 coxal cavities open behind, partially closed by a slender prolongation of the 

 epimera. Middle coxae narrowly separated, posterior coxae contiguous. Legs 

 moderately long, anterior and middle tibiae with short ciliae externally, the 

 posterior very feebly spinulose. Tarsi slender, the anterior and middle equally 

 dilated in the male. Thorax emarginate in front, lateral margin explanate 

 and translucent. Elytra margined, epipleurae broad. Form rather broadly 

 oval. Body apterous (metasternum short) Pettitii, winged (melasteruum long) 

 hydrophiloides. 



Two species are known in our fauna as follows : 



Body apterous, elytra suddenly declivous posteriorly, the stria feeble, tlie 

 punctures large I'ettitii n. sp. 



Body winged, elytra gradually declivous, striae moderately deep, the punctures 

 fine hydrophiloides Mann. 



N. Pettitii n. sp. — Broadly oval, narrower in front, dark chestnut-brown, 

 shining, glabrous. Head sparsely, finely punctulate. Thorax nearly twice as 

 wide at base as long at middle, a little wider in front of base, sides arcuate, 

 gradually narrowed to the front, margin broadly explanate, flat, translucent, 

 disc more convex, apex emarginate, base squarely truncate, apical angles 

 slightly obtuse, hind angles nearly rectangular, surface very sparsely punc- 

 tate, very finely at middle, more coarsely at the sides. Elytra oval, disc 

 suddenly declivous at apex, very little longer than wide, base truncate, wider 

 than the elytra, humeri moderately prominent, obtusely rectangular, margin 

 moderately wide, surface with rows of coarse, deep punctures, moderately 

 closely placed, the intervals between the rows, convex, alternately a little 

 more so, smooth. Body beneath very sparsely punctate, abdomen smooth. 

 Femora very sparsely punctate. Length .44 inch; 11 mm. 



In the males the first four joints of the anterior and middle tarsi 

 are feebly dilated. The body is apterous. 



This is the species erroneously determined by me (Trans. Am. Ent. 

 Soc. 1868, p. 125), as subterraneus, from which this species diflFers iu 

 its much broader form, larger size and the posterior legs similar in the 

 two sexes. The European species is also apterous. 



Occurs from Canada (Pettit), to Kentucky (Dury). 



