100 THE ORDEU OF COLEOPTERA. 



uous character is the two large eye-like spots on. the top of the thorax, 

 which are expressed by the specific name. The larva inhabits partially 

 decayed wood, and is often found iu the trunks of old apple trees. The 

 Ulater rubricolUs, Say, is a little more than half an inch long, black, 

 with a light-red thorax, bordered and pointed behind with black. The 

 Elater sangninipennis^ Say, is black, with light-red elytra ; three-tenths 

 of an inch in length. The E. apicatus, Say, is similar, but larger, being 

 nearly half an inch in length, and the elytra are tipt with black. The 

 E. nigricollis, Say, varies from less than half to three-quarters of an 

 inch in length ; black, with whitish elytra. The E. lintens, Say, resem- 

 bles the last, but is distinguished by having the suture and tip of the 

 elytra black. E. scajmlaris, Say, is a little less than four-tenths of an' 

 inch long, greenish-black, with the base of the elytra and the hind 

 points of the thorax, clay-yellow. The tarsal joints are lobed beneath. 

 It i^s now included in the genus Atlious. The Limonius armus, Say, is 

 also light-red on the shoulders of the elytra, but the thorax is wholly 

 black, the tarsi are simple, and the length is only a quarter of an inch. 

 Several species of Corymhetes have the elytra brownish-yellow with 

 transverse zig-zag black bands. C. hierogJypMcus, Say, half an inch 

 long, has two bands ; and G. hamatus, rather smaller, has but one band 

 near the tij). 



The Melanotus Jissilis, Say, fcinereus, Weber y and the M. communis^ 

 Sch.', plain brown species, usually about half an inch in length, but 

 subject to considerable variation in size, are amongst our most common 

 beetles. The two species closely resemble each other, but the latter is 

 a little smaller, and the thorax is proportionally longer and less convex. 

 They are distinguished from other and somewhat similar Elaters by 

 their pectinate claws. They are sometimes found under the bark of 

 dead trees, having probably recently emerged from the pupa state. 

 But they are also found upon the leaves of trees, to which their pecti- 

 nate claws enable them to adhere. We have repeatedly seen them, at 

 rest in the enclosure formed by the tying together of the leaves of the 

 black walnut, by the larviB of the little moth, Phycitajnglandis, LeB. ; 

 but for what purpose was not apparent. 



The Melanactes piceus, DeG., (Fig. 45) is a large glossy black species, 

 an inch or more in length. It is not uncommon iu the latitude of south- 

 ern Illinois, where it is sometimes jarred from peach trees upon the 

 curculio-catcher. Mr. Riley has found and figured its supposed larva, 

 which is one of the most beautiful objects, and often attracts the atten- 

 tion of the curious in the southern part of the State, byits luminosity ; 

 the amimal glowing in the dark with a beautiful green light as repre- 

 sented in the figure. 



