THE ORDER OF COI.EOPTERA. 
06 
The genus Acmceodera, Esch., contains a number of small species of a 
bronzed-brown color, sometimes with purple and green reflections, and 
the elytra prettily spotted with yellow. The colors are somewhat ob- 
scured by the surface being clothed with stiff erect hairs. The A. tubu- 
lus , Fab., and the A. pulchella, Herbst, are the most common species. 
They are often found in abundance on the flowers of the Coreopsis. 
The genus Agrilus , Sober, is easily recognized by the elongate, slen- 
der, and cylindrical form of the species. The raspberry borer, Agrilus 
rufieolis, Fab., may be taken as the American type of this genus. It is 
three-tenths of an inch long, black, with a coppery-red thorax. 
Buprestis, including Anchylochira, Esch., is composed of species mostly 
between a half and three-quarters of an inch in length, of a brassy- 
green or a brassy -black color, and often ornamented with yellow spots 
on the elytra; some also have yellow spots on the sides of the venter. 
The species of Hlelanophila, Esch., are troni three to fb e-tenths oi an 
inch in length, black, sometimes with obscure bronze or purple tints. 
Some species have four yellow dots on each elytron. 
The species of Anthaxia , Esch., are less than three-tenths of an inch 
long, brassy-black, and without spots. The head and thorax are sculp- 
tured with shallow punctures, with the intervening lines forming a fine 
net-work. 
We have two common species of Brackys, Sol., the ovata, Weber, and 
the ccrosa, Melsh., (terminans ? Fab.J ; and several rarer species, some 
of which may be only varieties or races of the first. The B. ovata is 
two-tenths of an inch or more in length, ot a bronze color, variegated 
with spots and imperfect transverse waving bands of whitish and cop- 
per colored pubesence. The B. terminans is smaller and less distinctly 
variegated, but most readily distinguished by the pale tips of the elytra. 
Metonius , Say, (Pachyscelus, Sober,) has two species, about an eighth of 
au inch in length; the kevigatus , Say, wholly black; and the purpurea , 
Say, black, with dark-blue elytra. 
Family XXXV. ELATERlfHE. 
The term elater applied to these insects by Linnaeus, and the name 
ship-jacks, sometimes given to them by English authors, have reference 
i Fi". 44. to their most striking peculiarity, that of having the faculty, 
CS =<0 when placed on their backs, of righting themselves by a 
Y„.y spasmodic jerk, by which they are thrown several inches 
JTY'' \ from the surface upon which they are placed. In thisoper- 
J\ ation tl,e sharp point which projects backwards bom the 
^ ifv ^ pro-sternum is thrbwn violently into the corresponding 
f \l/ \ socket in the meso-sternum. 
Elater. 
