SCARAB.EIDAE. 135 



between the fifth ventral and propygidium, which are connate ; ven- 

 tral segments connate ; side pieces of inetathorax broad. 



I. HOPLIINI. 

 Middle coxae contiguous. 1. HorLiiNi. 



B. Middle and hind tibiae with two spurs ; tarsi with distinct bisetose ony- 

 chiurn and equal claws ; 



a. Last spiracle in the fifth ventral, which is not connate with the pro- 



pygidium ; side pieces of inetathorax narrow ; ventral segments 

 six, free ; anterior coxae conical, prominent. II. SERICINI. 

 Labrum separate from the clypeus ; claws chelate. 



2. DlCHELONYCHINI. 



Labrum connate with the clypeus ; claws not chelate. 



3. Seeicim. 



b. Last spiracle placed on the suture between the fifth ventral and the 



propygidium, which are closely connate. 



III. MELOLONTHINI. 

 Anterior coxae prominent, conical ; 

 Ventral segments six, not connate ; 



Hind legs slender. 4. Mackodactylini. 



Hind legs thick. 5. Sericoidini. 



Ventral segments five, subconnate. 6. Diplotaxini. 



Anterior cox?e transverse, not prominent ; ventral segments six ; 



Ventral segments connate. 7. Melolonthini. 



Ventral segments not connate. 8. Mackophyllini. 



Sub-Tribe 1. — Ilopliini (genuini). 



Oblong, flattened insects, living on flowers, and having the body 

 more or less covered with flat scales of a yellowish, brownish, or 

 silvery color. But one genus, Hoplia, is found in the United 

 States, and is represented by species in every part of our terri- 

 tory; the males frequently differ from the females by color as 

 well as size, and even by the texture of the scales and hair, so 

 that, whenever opportunity occurs, the sexes of the specimens 

 found should be carefully noted. 



The sub-tribe is known by the ligula being corneous, and con- 

 nate with the mentura, as in the other Melolonthidte of our fauna ; 

 by the small scutellum, and by the middle coxae being nearly 

 contiguous. 



The characters of the tribe are : the side pieces of the ineta- 

 thorax are always broad ; the club of the antenna? is 3-jointed; 

 the mandibles have an interior plate ; the labrum is very short, 

 and concealed under the clypeus; the anterior coxa? are large, 

 conical, and prominent; the tibia? have but a single small terminal 

 spur; the claws are chelate and very unequal, and the onychium 



