80 GEO. H. HORN, M. D. 



probably cause further subdivision, but it will be observed in all these 

 aberrant and rather soft Elateridse., that there is a certain elasticity in 

 specific characteristics which must always be taken into account. 

 The two species are : 



Terminal joint of antennse decidedly shorter than the branch of the eleventh ; 



thorax always longer than wide at middle lautus Lee. 



Terminal joint as long as the branch of the eleventh j thorax usually as wide at 



middle as long pretiosus Lee. 



E. LAUTUS S Lec. — The accompanying plate shows what I consider 

 merely varieties of this species, and it is well here to remark that the 

 impressions in the thorax of one form and their absence in the other is 

 not by any means constant. The typical form (fig. 1), is usually darker 

 in color than the other, a little stouter in form and with the thorax 

 a little more coarsely punctured. It is possible that the discovery of the 

 female will show the variety (fig. 2), to be a distinct species, and if so 

 the female will probably have elytra less short than in the true lautus, 

 and more nearly squarely truncate at tip. Length % .80 — .92 inch ; 

 20—23 mm. PI. I, fig. 1, 2. 



Occurs at San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Tejon and Owen's Valley, 

 California. 



E. Isintns f • — Elongate, cylindrical, slightly depressed, rufous, moderately 

 shining, sparsely pubescent, feebly winged. Head moderately densely and coarsely 

 punctate. Antennse passing slightly the middle of the thorax, serrate, first joint 

 obconical, 2 — 5 small, nearly equal, not angulate in front, 6 — 11 longer with the 

 free angle becoming gradually longer, twelve as long as the branch of the eleventh 

 and slightly curved. Thorax nearly square, very little narrowed in front, hind 

 angles slightly divergent and carinate, surface not very densely punctured and 

 with a depression and smoother space on each side in front and at middle pos- 

 teriorly. Elytra very little longer than wide conjointly and not extending beyond 

 the first dorsal abdominal segment, suture slightly separated the angle rounded, 

 ajiex obliquely truncate the outer angle rounded, striae deep and distinctly punc- 

 tate, the intervals convex sparsely punctate. Abdomen with eight fi'ee segments, 

 the last two slightly shorter than the others, surface sparsely and finely punctate 

 more densely on the sixth. Thorax beneath coarsely punctured at middle and 

 very sparsely at the sides. Metathorax very sparsely punctate. Abdomen more 

 shining not densely punctate. Length 1.44 inch; 36 mm. PL I, fig. 3. 



In the only specimen I have seen which is a fully impregnated female 

 the abdomen is greatly extended even beyond what I have shown in the 

 figure, the connecting membranes between the abdominal segments both 

 on the dorsal and ventral aspects are nearly half the length of the 

 segments themselves, the abdomen is thus extended so as to equal very 

 nearly two and a half times the thorax and elytra together. The figure 

 is purposely drawn with less connecting membrane showing. There are 



