THE HISTEB BEETLES. 627 



KEY TO INDIANA SPECIES OF ACBITUS. 



a. Thorax without a row of punctures across the base. 1203. exiguds. 



aa. Thorax with a row of punctures across the base ; prosternum much 



longer than wide, its striae not more divergent in front than at base. 



1204. STEIGOSUS. 



1203 (3649). AcRiTUS exiguus Erichs., Jahrb., 1834, 208. 



Broadly oblong-oval, slightly convex. Dark reddish-brown, shining. 

 Thorax rather coarsely and sparsely punctured. Elytra more coarsely but 

 not more densely punctured than thorax, the marginal stria rather deep, 

 entire. Prosternum more than twice as long as wide, its surface with very 

 few punctures. Front tibiae slender. Length 1 mm. 



Southern half of State ; frequent beneath bark of elm and other 

 logs. Gregarious and probably hibernates. April 9-November 22. 



1204 (3654). AcEiTUs stkigosus Lee, Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., 1853, 289. 

 Rounded-oval, moderately convex. Dark brown, shining. Thorax sparsely 



and rather finely punctured, the basal row of punctures slightly curved and 

 not extending on either side beyond the middle of the base of elytra. Ely- 

 tra coarsely punctured, less distinctly on basal third. iVIetasternum coarsely 

 and rather sparsely punctured. Length 0.8 mm. 



Marion County; scarce. Taken by H. Morrison from the sides 

 of a bridge abutment on which they had alighted to bask in the sun- 

 shine ; also by sifting. April 23-November 8. 



XIII. .^LETES Horn. 1873. 



The species of this genus are separated from those ol; Acriius' 

 only by the absence of a scutelium. In such minute forms this 

 character is very difficult to distinguish except under verj- high 

 power. Four species are known from the United States, two of 

 which have been taken in Indiana. 



1205 (3657). iELETES politus Lee, Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., 1853, 290. 

 Rounded-oval, convex. Brovim, shining, surface wholly devoid of punc- 

 tures. Prosternum twice as long as wide; niesosternura with longitudinal 

 grooves. Length 0.8 mm. 



Throughout the State; frequent. Occurs beneath bark and in 

 dead leaves and other rubbish about the base of trees where, it may 

 be taken by sifting. April 9-November 28. 



1206 (3660). ^LETES SIMPIJ5X Lee, Bost. Joum. Nat. Hist., V, 1845, 84. 

 Oval, moderately convex. Reddish-brown, shining. Thorax and ely- 

 tra very sparsely and finely punctured, ' the former with a basal row of 

 coarser punctures the middle ones of which are linear or sulciform. Pro- 

 sternum nearly as broad as long. Meso- and metastema smooth, the suture 

 coarsely punctate. Length 1 mm. 



