226 COLEOPTERA OF NORTH AMERICA. 



Anterior tarsi of male not dilated ; humeri of elytra not embracing the 

 thorax. Embaphion. 



Anterior tarsi of male with joints 1 — 2 slightly dilated, spongy beneath ; 

 humeri of elytra embracing the base of thorax. Pkomus. 



The species of Eleodes are very numerous, and are found from 

 the longitude of Platte River to the Pacific. Embaphion con- 

 tains four species, found in Texas, Kansas, and Arizona. E. 

 muricatum and concavum are of an elliptical form, with widely 

 reflexed margin; E. contusum has the thorax distant from the 

 elytra, its margins are still widely reflexed ; in E. depressum 

 (Eleodes depressa Lee.) the thorax is also distant from the 

 elytra, but the margin is narrow and not reflexed, thus establishing 

 a passage to Eleodes. 



The type and only species of Promus is Blaps opaca Say, a 

 very abundant insect on the plains east of the Rocky Mountains. 



Tribe II.— PEDUVINI. 



Body oval, not very convex ; epistoma emarginate, covering 

 the base of the mandibles ; labrum prominent ; mentum frequently 

 ti'ilobed in front, small or moderate in size ; gular peduncle 

 distinct ; ligula prominent, entire or slightly sinuate in front ; 

 eyes transverse, sometimes divided ; elytra embracing feebly the 

 flanks of the abdomen ; epipleura? narrow ; anterior coxae sub- 

 transverse ; middle coxae with distinct trochantin, side pieces of 

 mesothorax extending to the coxal cavities ; metasternum very 

 short, epimera distinct ; hind coxae distant ; intercoxal process 

 of abdomen truncate ; tibial spurs small, distinct ; anterior, and 

 sometimes the middle tarsi of the male dilated, and spongy be- 

 neath ; hind tarsi sometimes pubescent, sometimes spinous. 



Two groups occur in our fauna : — 



Eyes not divided. Platynoti. 



Eyes completely divided. Blapstini. 



Group I. — Platynoti. 

 This group, distinguished by the epistoma being emarginate, 

 and the eyes not entirely divided, is represented in our fauna by 

 only a few species of Opatrinus from the Atlantic district. Opa- 

 trinus is distinguished from foreign genera of the same group by 

 the thorax being sinuate at base, and by the inflexed portion of 

 the elytra being formed entirely of the epipleurae ; the mentum 

 is trilobed in front, and the anterior tibiae are not dilated. 



