96 TfiE ORDER OF COLEOPTERA. 



The genus Acmwodera, Esch., contains a number of small species of a 

 bronzed-brown color, sometimes with purple and green reflections, and 

 the elytra prettily spotted with yellow. The colors are somewhat ob- 

 scured by the surface being clothed with stiif erect hairs. The A. tubu- 

 lus, Fab., and the A. pulchella, Herbst, are the most common species. 

 They are often found in abundance on the flowers of the Coreopsis. 



The genus Agriliis, Sober, is easily recognized by the elongate, slen- 

 der, and cylindrical form of the species. The raspberry borer, Aprilus 

 ruficolis, Fab., may be taken as the American type of this genus. It is 

 three-tenths of an inch long, black, with a coppery-red thorax. 



Buprestis, includiug Anchylochira, Esch., is composed of species mostly 

 between a half and three-quarters of an inch in length, of a brassy- 

 green or a brassy-black color, and often ornamented with yellow spots 

 on the elytra; some also have yellow spots on the sides of the venter. 



The species of Mela)iophila, Esch., are from three to five-tenths of an 

 inch in length, black, sometimes with obscure bronze or purple tints. 

 Some species have four yellow dots on each elytron. 



The species of Anthaxia, Esch., are less than three-tenths of an inch 

 long, brassy- black, and without spots. The head and thorax are sculp- 

 tured with shallow punctures, with the intervening lines forming a fine 

 net-work. 



We have two common species of Braehys, Sol., the ovata, Weber, and 

 the (erosa, Melsh., (terminans f Fab.^l ; and several rarer sjiecies, some 

 of which may be only varieties or races of the first. The B. ovata is 

 two-tenths of an inch or more in length, of a bronze color, variegated 

 with spots and imperfect transverse waving bands of whitish and cop- 

 per colored pubesence. The B. terminans is smaller and less distinctly 

 variegated, but most readily distinguished by the pale tii)s of the elytra. 

 Metonius^ Say, {Pachyscehis, Sober,) has two species, about an eighth of 

 an inch iu length; the keingatus, Say, wholly black; and the ptirpurea, 

 Say, black, with dark-blue elytra. 



Family XXXV. ELATERID.E. 



The term elater applied to these insects by Linniieus, and the name 

 ship-jacJcs, sometimes given to them by English authors, have reference 

 fFifr. 44. iQ their most striking peculiarity, that of having the faculty, 

 when placed on their backs, of righting themselves by a 

 spasmodic jerk, by which they are thrown several inches 

 from the surface upon which they are placed. In this oper- 

 ation the sharp point which i>rojects backwards from the 

 l)ro-sternum is thrown violently into the corresponding 

 socket in the meso-sternum. 



