212 COLEOPTERA OF NORTH AMERICA. 



and coarsely granulated ; clypeus short, distinct ; labrum 

 prominent ; mandibles short (not distinctly seen). 



Antennas as long as the head and thorax, 11-jointed, last 

 three joints one-half larger than the preceding ones, inserted 

 under very small oblique frontal ridges. 



Prothorax subcylindrical, lateral suture obliterated ; coxal 

 cavities entirely closed behind, and widely separated. 



Mesosternum moderately long ; coxal cavities (apparently) 

 surrounded by the sterna, side pieces not seen. 



Metasternum very short, side pieces not very wide. 



Elytra separate, broadly rounded at tip, covering the ab- 

 domen ; epipleuras extremely narrow, wings wanting. 



Abdomen with six ventral segments ; the first and second 

 connate, the fifth truncate at tip, and united by suture to the 

 sixth. 



Legs long; anterior coxae globose, prominent, widely 

 separated, without trochantin ; middle ones very widely 

 separated, rounded, without trochantin ; hind ones very 

 widely separated, oval; tibiae slender, with very small spurs; 

 anterior and middle tarsi 5-jointed, hind ones 4-jointed ; all 

 the joints short and equal, pubescent beneath, except the 

 last, which is very long and stout, with large, simple claws. 



The characters above detailed are abundantly sufficient to 

 separate as a distinct family the single species, Aegialites debilis 

 Mann., from Russian America, upon which it is founded. 



The insect is of small size, and of black color, with the elytra 

 gradually widened from the thorax, and impressed with punctured 

 striae, gradually becoming effaced towards the sides. 



Regarding the affinities of this genus various opinions have 

 been entertained. Mannerheim hesitated between Scydmasnidae 

 and Tenebrionidae ; Motschulsky, on account of the form of the 

 tarsi, placed it among the Parnidae ; Gerstaecker placed it in 

 Tenebrionidae near Helops. It is of such extreme rarity as to 

 have been seen by but few entomologists.. For a specimen of it 

 I am indebted to Col. Motschulsky. 



Fam. xlix— cistelidae. 



Mentum small, trapezoidal, wider in front; ligula exposed; 

 paraglossia distinct; labial palpi 3-jointed; gular peduncle 

 distinct. 



