200 FAIIILT Iir. HALITLID.P,. 



Tlii-ouglionl. the State; frequent. April IH-I )i'r('iiilier 1S. 



::.sl (1209). AsisoDACTYLVS SBKicEi s HaiT., X. Eug. Far.. 1828, 177. 



Oblong. Black, opaque ; antenutie reddish-browu ; femora plceous, tibite 

 and tarsi pale. Thorax broader than long, apex and base equal ; sides regu- 

 larly curved, hind angles rounded, basal impressions cibsolete; surf aw 

 sparsely iiuuctate. more densely at base and near the sides. Elytral inter- 

 vals flat, densely puuttulate. each puncture bearing a short, fine laair. 

 Length 10 mm. 



Lake, Marion, Vigo and Posey counties; frequent. February 

 ::l-Xovember 17. Noted on stems and burrowing beneath the roots 

 of grasses and sedges about ponds. Also taken at electric light. 



"oSl' I 1210). AxisoD.iCTYLUS INTEBSTITIAUS Say. Trans 

 Amer. Phil. Soc. II, ls23, 57; ibid. II, 

 4S0. 

 Form and sti-ucture of sericetts. Color as given in 

 key. Thoracic margin broader, more depressed; me- 

 dian line and basal impressions evident, the latter 

 broad and shallow. Elytral intervals subconvex, densely 

 and rather coarsely punctate. Length !i..5-10 mm. (Fig. 

 101.) 



Fig. 101.- x2i (0^iginal.^ Throughout the State: common, especially in 

 sandy regions. March 17-December IS. A half dozen just 

 emerged as imagoes were noted on November 2S. 



Family III. HALIPLID.E. 



The Crawling Water Beetles. 



In the North American fauna this family is represent^?d by less 

 than 3(1 known species of small, very convex aquatic beetles. In 

 color they are light brownish-yellow, more or less spotted with 

 lilack. while in form tliey are oval and tapering at each end. The 

 elytra bear rows of punctures and the scutellum is invisible. 



They comprise a family intermediate between the Carabidse and 

 DytiscidfB. having the antenna? glal>rous, filiform. 10-jointed and 

 inserted on the front before the eyes : thorax with distinct side 

 ]iieees; hind eoxa^ contiguous at middle and prolonged as broad 

 plates which conceal the basal half of hind femora and from three 

 to six of the ventral segments. The slender but clubbed hind fe- 

 mora mo-\-e between these plates and the abdomen, and are not 

 adapted to vigorous swimming. 



.\lthough aquatic in habit, these little beetles swim but feebly. 

 Whei-e found they usually occur in numlx^rs. They live in shallow 

 water aliont the margins of ponds, lakes and pools of streams, where 



