THE DARKLING BEETLES. 1269 



Throughout the State; frequent. April 9-June 30. Occurs in 

 colonies beneath loose bark of old snags, especially those of red and 

 black oak. Our most brilliant member of the family. 



H. venustus Say, color of nucans, length 9-9.5 mm., is said by 

 Horn to be "not abundant in the ^Middle and Southern States." 



2349 (7548). Helops AMERicANrs Beanv., Ins. Afr. et Amer., 1805, 122. 



Elongate-oblong. Black, bronzeil. Antennre with terminal joints less 

 compressed than in iiiiciins and scarcely slinrter than those preceding. Tho- 

 rax almost t^Yi(■^■ as wide as long, margins distinctly undulate, angles rec- 

 tangular ; surface coarsely and densely punctate and with a small depres- 

 sion each side near base. Elytra rather deeply striate; intervals subeon- 

 vox, sparsely but distinctly punctate. Length 10.5-13 mm. 



Dubois and Crawford counties ; scarce. May 1 5-May 19. 



2.350 (7565). Helops ^tsrei s Germar., Insect. Sp. Nov., 1824, 159. 



Short, oval, strongly convex. Blackish-bronzed, shining. Antennae with 

 last three joints subequal and shorter than those preceding. Thorax con- 

 vex, one-half broader than long ; front angles subacute, surface densely and 

 ciinally punctured. Elytra with rows of fine, scarcely impressed punctures; 

 intervals flat, smooth. Length 7-0 mm. 



Throughout the western half of State; common beneath bark. 

 April 5- June 14. Gregarious. Resembles Meraeantha contracta in 

 form, but much smaller. Easily distinguished by the numerous 

 grooves on under side of thorax. 



H. cisieloides Germ., elytra bronzed, with rows of fine punc- 

 tures, intervals flat, smooth, length 10-12.5 mm., is a southern spe- 

 cies which has been recorded from Cincinnati. 



Tribe VIII. MERACANTHINI. 



Ovate, strongly convex winj^less species, having the head re- 

 ceived in the thorax nearly to the eyes, which are large, transverse 

 and emarginate ; sides of head dilated over the base of antennoB and 

 o))liquely elevated; antennas long and slender, the outer joints very 

 slightly thicker; last joint of palpi strongly hatchet-shaped; front 

 coxffi rounded, middle ones with distinct trochantin, hind ones 

 widely separated; front femora armed on under side with an obtuse 

 tooth. The tribe is represented by a single genus and this in turn 

 by a single species, which ocei^rs east of the IMississippi River. 



XXVI. Merscantii.v Kirliy. 1837. (Gr,, "thigh -H spine.") 

 2.".ril (757S). Meracantiia contracta Beauv., Ins. Afr. et Amer., 1805, 122. 

 Broadly ovate, roliust, strongly convex. Blackish-bronzed; antennae and 

 le;;s plccr.us. Th(jrax subquadrate, convex, coarsely, irregularly and rather 



