ENDOMYCHIDAE. 119 



extend to the sutural tip. The inetasternal and ventral lines are, 

 well-deQned, the legs are moderately retractile; thighs not very 

 deeply sulcate beneath, tibiae with an acute external edge, and 

 shallow groove for the reception of the tarsi : the claws in Epi- 

 lachna are cleft, with the lower cusp nearly as long as the upper 

 one. The genus extends from the Eastern States to Arizona, 

 where E. mexicana occurs, but has not occurred in maritime Cali- 

 fornia, although E. co7'ru2jta has occurred at Lake Tahoe. 



Fam. XXI.— ENDOMYCHIDAE. 



Mentum transverse, triangular or rhomboidal ; ligula 

 coriaceous at base, membranous at tip; labial palpi short, 

 3-jointed, last joint larger, cylindrical or triangular, but not 

 securiform. 



Maxillas exposed at the base, with two lobes, both of 

 which are ciliate on the inner side, the inner lobe is smaller 

 and narrower than the outer: palpi 4-jointed, the 4th oval, 

 or triangular, not securiform. 



Eyes transverse, moderately large, usually coarsely granu- 

 late. 



Antennas, upon the front, distant, about half the length 

 of the body, usually 11-jointed, the last three forming a 

 distinct club. 



Head moderate in size, prolonged in front into a short 

 muzzle: epistoma narrow, separated from the front by a 

 very fine line: mandibles with the tip pointed, more or less 

 toothed or ciliate or membranous on the inner ma*rgin. 



Prothorax margined, side pieces separated from the pro- 

 notum by a well-marked suture, but not separate from the 

 prosternum, which is entire, sometimes wide, sometimes very 

 narrow, or obsolete in the middle, coxal cavities open be- 

 hind; pronotum usually with a transverse sub-basal groove, 

 and two longitudinal impressions. 



Mesosternum short, side pieces diagonally divided, cpi- 

 mera. 



Metasternum rather long, with narrow side pieces. 



Elytra rounded at tip, covering the dorsal segments; epi- 

 pleurte distinct. 



Abdomen with five free segments, of which the first is 

 sometimes longer than the other. 



Coxae, front and middle globose, somewhat prominent: 

 hind pair transverse. 



