AEGIALITIDAE. 241 



and the lateral margin extends to the anterior margin ; in this 

 and the next tribe the lateral margin is elevated into an oblique 

 ridge, which becomes obsolete before attaining the anterior margin 

 of the front. 



The present tribe has but one representative in the Atlantic 

 district, Meracantha contracta, found under bark ; it has received 

 many > ames, but the oldest is that of Helops contractus Beauv. 



Tribe XVI.— STROKGYLIINI. 



Body elongate, winged ; head not received in the thorax as far 

 as the eyes, which are large, transverse, emarginate, and somewhat 

 coarsely granulated ; mouth broadly but slightly prolonged ; front 

 separated from the labrum by a coi'iaceous clypeus ; sides dilated 

 over the insertion of the antennas, and obliquely elevated, eleva- 

 tion not extending to the anterior margin of the front ; mentum 

 trapezoidal ; ligula prominent ; last joint of palpi strongly secu- 

 riform ; antennas long and slender, outer joints very slightly 

 thicker. Epipleuras narrow, extending to the tip of the elytra ; 

 metasternum long ; anterior coxas rounded ; middle coxse with 

 distinct trochantin ; hind coxae narrowly separated ; legs long ; 

 tibial spurs very small ; tarsi pubescent beneath. 



But one genus, Strongylium, is represented by three species 

 found under bark in the Atlantic district ; two of them differ- 

 ing somewhat in the form of the thorax are described by Say ; 

 .S. tmuicolle Lac. (Helops ten. Say) has the thorax subcylindrical, 

 and as long as wide ; S. terminatum Lac. (Tenebrio terminatus 

 Say) has the thorax somewhat narrowed in front, and wider at 

 the base than its length. In both species the last joint of the 

 antennas is pale yellow. 



Fam. XL VIIL- AEGIALITIDAE. 



Mentum very transverse, trapezoidal, narrower in front, 

 supported on a very short and broad gular process ; ligula 

 broad, prominent ; labial palpi widely separated, short, 

 3-jointed. 



Maxillas (lobes not seen), base prominent; palpi snort, 

 4-jointed, scarcely dilated. 



Head prominent, not constricted behind, received into the 

 thorax not as far as the eyes, which are small, convex, rounded, 

 16 



