354 CASEY 



thickness from base to apex and unusually strongly spinulato- 

 rugose. The metasternum is slightly shorter than the first ven- 

 tral segment, the wings vestigial, the surface glabrous and the 

 basal joint of the hind tarsi evidently longer than the last. 

 MeJanastus is evidently allied to Mesabates, of Champion, de- 

 scribed in the " Biologia," but does not possess the trilobed 

 front of that genus. Our rather numerous species, including 

 one from Mexico, may be defined as follows : — 



Eyes more distinct, coarsely faceted as usual, the prothorax finely but 

 evidently margined at the sides -. 2 



Eyes smaller, somewhat more finely faceted than usual, the pronotum 

 not margined at the sides 21 



2 — Elytral series never impressed, except very finely and obsoletely in 

 a few species as mentioned below ; prothorax seldom much nar- 

 rower at apex than at base 3 



Elytral series distinctly and rather broadly impressed ; prothorax sub- 

 evenly and moderately narrowed from base to apex, — a very ex- 

 ceptional form in the present genus 20 



2 — Sides of the prothorax not distinctly sinuate before the obtuse basal 

 angles 4 



Sides of the prothorax subparallel and arcuate, distinctly sinuate for a 

 short distance at the basal angles, which are thereby rendered more 

 or less prominent, subacute and never at all blunt 14 



^ — Elytra not distinctly wider than the prothorax, the sides of which 



are subparallel 5 



Elytra more or less evidently wider than the prothorax 10 



1; — Elytra shining 6 



Elytra dull, generally opaque 7 



6 — Form oblong-suboval, convex, shining, black, the under surface 

 blackish, the legs dark rufous; head as wide as an elytron, rather 

 coarsely but not densely punctate except at apex, where it is sub- 

 rufescent, the surface very slightly alutaceous, the apex broadly 

 arcuato-truncate ; prothorax three-fourths wider to nearly twice 

 as wide as long, the sides rather feebly arcuate, generally straighter 

 toward apex and base, the basal angles only slightly obtuse and not 

 at all blunt, the apex slightly narrower than the base, deeply sinu- 

 ate, the punctures rather small but deep and sparse medially, be- 

 coming somewhat rapidly rather coarse, deep and close-set but 

 scarcely confluent in lateral fourth ; scutellum moderate, transverse, 

 broadly rounded ; elytra less than one-half longer than wide, three 

 times as long as the prothorax or, in the female, a little more, 

 acutely ogival at tip, the sides very feebly inflated and broadly 



