144 NORTHERN ZOOLOGY. 



VII. STERNOXA. Lat. 

 Family ELATERID^. Elateridans. 



Latreille appears to consider the Fire-flies (Elater noctilucus and affinities) as 

 the type of the genus Elater ,- 9 Linne and Fabricius those with flabellated antennae, 

 as E. gigas and Jldbellicornis : but as the latter, though large insects, have a very 

 short pectoral mucro, it is probable that their power of leaping 1 is less than that 

 of the others ; therefore the name Elater does not equally well apply to them, and 

 it will be better to distinguish them by M. Latreille's name Hemirhipus, considering 

 E. noctilucus, &c. as the true Slaters. 



There are several types of antennas in this family, all of which appear to run into 

 each other — viz. flabellate, pectinate, serrate, submoniliform, filiform, and subse- 

 taceous ; as there are likewise of tarsi, which perhaps afford a more certain charac- 

 ter, combined with others, for the distinction of genera and subgenera. Thus the 

 majority perhaps of the Elateridans have neither suckers, nor cushions of hairs, e.g. 

 E. fascicularis, pectinicornis, Sputator, fasciatus, mesomelus, &c. : others again 

 have a single sucker on the fourth joint, this is the case with three American un- 

 described species in my cabinet : a third description, have a cushion edged with 

 hairs on the second and third joints, E. obscurus, &c. Linn? Payk. E. riificaudis Gyll. : 

 another species, brought, I believe, from the West Indies by Admiral Plampin, has 

 three transverse reniform suckers on the second, third, and fourth joints : in 

 E. niger again the apex of the first, second, and third joints is furnished with a 

 brush ; in E. Ugneus, suturalis, and affinities, there are three large suckers on these 

 joints : in E. Jlabellicornis there is a naked cushion or sucker on the four first joints, 

 that on the fourth being the largest : and lastly, in E. noctilucus, fuscipes, fulgens, 

 &c. the same joints are furnished with a brush. 



9 Crust. Arachn. it Ins i, 454. 1 Introd. to Enl. ii, 313 — 



