416 COLEOPTERA OF NORTH AMERICA. 



Side pieces of meso- and metathorax covered by the elytra ; the inflexed 



portion very wide. Meloini. 



Side pieces of meso- and metathorax visible ; the inflexed portion narrow. 



Cantharini. 



Tribe I.— MELOIIVI. 



The insects composing this tribe are without wings; the elytra 

 are frequently much shorter than the al)c1omen, and in one genus 

 are imbricated, or overlap at the suture, the inflexed part is very 

 wide ; the metaster.num is very short, so that, except in Henous, 

 the middle coxae extend partly over the hind coxae; the side 

 pieces of the meso- and metathorax are entirely covered by the 

 elytra ; the claws are sometimes armed with a tooth, sometimes 

 cleft to the base ; in this case the upper portion is never pecti- 

 nate, as in certain genera of the next tribe. The frontal suture 

 is distinct, and the front is prolonged before the insertion of the 

 antennae. 



Our genera are : — 



Claws toothed near the base ; 



Elytra larger than the abdomen, inflated, connate. Cysteodemus, 



Elytra short, divergent from the scntellum, abdomen very large. 



Megetra. 

 Claws cleft, the upper and lower portions equal ; 



Elytra short, imbricated. Meloe. 



Elytra moderate, subconnate. Henous. 



Claws with the lower portion shorter than the upper, and connate with il ; 



Elytra moderate, contiguous for a short distance at base. Poreospasta. 



Moloc is generally diffused, and is the only genus represented 

 on the Eastern Continent ; Henous is found from Kan.sas to 

 Texas; Cysteodemus in Arizona and Colorado Desert; the genus 

 Megetra Lee. (Arcana nature, i. 1 27) is founded upon Meloe can- 

 ceUafiis Er., and Cysteodemus villains Lee, which occur in New 

 Mexico and Arizona. Poreospasta polita Horn occurs in Cali- 

 fornia. 



Tribe II.— CA^^THARI^^I. 



Body generally winged ; elytra, in our genera, not shorter than 

 the abdomen, entirely closing together along the suture; meta- 

 sternum usually long; middle coxas not overlapping the hind 

 coxae; side pieces of meso- and metathorax plainly visible, not 

 covered by the elytra ; claws generally cleft to the base, the upper 



