TENEBRIONIDAE. 219 



Mentum small, ligula entirely exposed, lunate ; 

 Gula with a short medial fissure. III. Branching 



Gula without fissure ; intercoxal process of abdomen acute. 



IV. Coniontini. 



In a natural arrangement the last tribe will probably take place 

 as a sub-tribe of Praocini, distinguished from the genuine Prao- 

 cini by the form of the intercoxal process of the abdomen, which 

 is broad in them. The genuine Praocini do not, however, appear 

 in our fauna, and any discussion of the question would be, at 

 present, irrelevant. 



Tribe I.-CRYPTOGLOSSIM. 



Body elongate, apterous ; head rarely deflexed, usually promi- 

 nent, oval, and gradually narrowed behind the eyes, which are 

 small, transverse, and reniform, coarsely or moderately finely 

 granulated ; labrum entirely or partly covered by the epistoma ; 

 mentum moderately large, inserted upon a broad gular peduncle ; 

 inaxillas exposed, ligula not prominent ; elytra with moderate 

 epipleuroe, not very widely embracing the flanks of the abdomen , 

 middle coxae with distinct trochantin, side pieces reaching the 

 coxal cavities ; hind coxae distant, intercoxal process truncate ; 

 legs moderate or stout ; tibial spurs distinct. 



I have removed from this tribe the genera Eulabis, Epantius, 

 and Oerenopus, included in it by Lacordaire, since they have the 

 hind margin of the 3d and 4th ventral segments coriaceous. 



Our genera indicate two sub-tribes, so distinct that they should 

 probably rank as separate tribes. 



Gense prominent ; tarsi pubescent. Nyctoporini. 



Genae not produced ; tarsi setose. Cryptoglossini. 



Sub-Tribe I.— IVyctoporini. 



This sub-tribe consists of but a single Californian genus, Nycto- 

 poris, found under bark. The body is elongate and rough, the 

 elytra are sculptured with numerous rows of acute elevations, and 

 frequently costate ; the epipleuraa occupy the whole of the in- 

 flexed portion of the elytra. The mentum is large, quadrate, 

 and transverse, the gular peduncle is almost wanting, the sides 

 of the head beneath are prolonged so as almost to touch the 

 sides of the mentum, thus covering the maxilla? except at the base, 

 where they are visible ; the last joint of the palpi is but slightly 



