ELATEIUDAE. 



187 



inwards, scarcely toothed; tlie claws simple; and tlic prosteriial 

 sutures nearly straight, double, though rarely excavated in front; 

 the first joint of the antenna3 is moderate. The front is sometimes 

 not only margined, but deeply concave, by the n)argiii being re- 

 llexed ; in some species of Limonius the nmrgin is almost obsolete 

 at the middle, establishing thus a transition to the group Corym- 

 bites; the prostcrnal lobe is sometimes obsolete, and the middle 

 coxa) are in Campy lus very approximate, so that the metasternum 

 becomes acute in front. The tarsi have sometimes the second 

 and third joints slightly lobed beneatii. 



The body is usually slender, and rarely (Pityobius) of large size. 



Our genera are : — 



Tarsi with tlio first joint scarcely longer than the second. Limonius, 

 Tarsi with the first joint elongated ; 

 Prosternal lohe very short ; 



Metasternum acute ; antennte 11-jointed. Campylus. 



Metasternum obtuse ; antennae 12-jointed. Pityobius. 



I'rostcrnal lobe long. Athens. 



The males of Pityobius are remarkable foi* the antenna? having 

 on each side a row of branches. Two species arc knov/n : P . 

 anguinus, from the Atlantic States, of a dull black color, with 

 short brown hair, % with but single branches proceeding from 

 beyond the middle of the joints of the antennte 4-11 each side ; 

 and F. Murrayi Lee, from California, of a more shining black 

 color, much less hairy, % with one inner and two outer basal 

 branches from the joints of the antenna?. 



Group IV. — Corymbites. 



This group is so closely connected with the last by intermediate 

 forms, that its separation may be considered to be rather a nuitter 

 of convenience than of natural difference; thus, the discussion of 

 the question whether Limonius vagua and edriaiuH Lee, which 

 l)elong to Parauonius, and L. duhitam^, which forms Nothodes, 

 should enter this or the preceding group, is a matter of but small 

 consequence. 



The front is not margined behind the labrum, and is usually 

 slightly concave; the mouth is anterior, though somewhat de- 

 llexed in Scricosomus (which differs from the group Agriotes in 

 this respect, as well as by the less convex front, and shorter first 

 joint of the antennie) ; tlie prosterimm is either lobed or truncate 



