328 [JUNE, 
June 28th. 
Vice-President BripGEs in the Chair, 
The Committee to which was referred the following papers by Dr. 
Le Conte, reported in favor of publication : 
Synopsis of the Meloides of the United States. 
By Joun L. Le Contes, M. D. 
The species of this family are very numerous; those found in our territory 
may be divided into the following genera: 
A. Ungues non serrati. 
Elytra abbreviata, imbricata, unguibus fissis ; - Meloe Lin. 
Elytra non imbricata, unguibus dentatis : : . Cysteodemus Lec. 
Elytra connata, unguibus fissis. : ° - Henous Hald. 
Elytris integris non connatis, unguibus fissis : 
Tarsi articulo penultimo non emarginato . 5 . Lytta Fabdr. 
Tarsi articulo penultimo emarginato . : ° . Tetraonyx Lar. 
B. Ungues serrati, appendice instruct. 
Maxille elongate : : 3 : : : - Nemognatha £7. 
Maxille breves. 
Ungues appendicibus filiformibus. 
Antenne filiformes i ‘ : 5 . Zonitis Fabr. 
Antenne moniliate Fy 5 Y é - Horia Fabr. 
Ungues appendicibus latis ebiusis J 6 . . Cephaloon Newmaz. 
MeLoeE Lin. 
a. Antenne maris medio dilatate. 
1. M. rugipennis, cyaneus, capite grosse punctato, thorace angustiore, 
Jatitudine sublongiore basi emarginato, irregulariter grosse punctato, elytris 
valde intricato-rugosis. Long. :-45—1:05. 
Middle States, not rare. The elytra are stouter than in the two next species. 
The abdomen of the female is black and membranous each side: the middle 
part is more uniformly chagrined than in the male. Very similar to M. wiola- 
ceus, but less shining, and with much rougher elytra. 
2. M.me@rens, niger, vix purpurascens, capite parcius punctato, thorace 
angustiore subelongato, basi valde emarginato, lateribus sinuato, parce punctato, 
medio i impresso, elytris subtilissime rugosis, punctis parcis minus profundis im- 
pressis. Long. °8. 
New York. This is a rare species, of which I possess only females, although 
from its resemblance in form to the preceding, we may be almost confident that 
the antennz of the male are irregular. The abdomen is densely rugous, the 
ruge towards the middle are almost longitudinal. The antenne are longer than 
the head and thorax, and slender. 
3. M.angusticollis, obscure violaceus, capite thoraceque punctis paucis 
parvis impressis, hoc multo angustiore, elongato, basi emarginato, elytris sub- 
tilius intricato-rugosis. Long. -5—:8. 
Say, Journ. Ac. Nat. Sc. 3, 280. 
Middle States. The thorax i is more than one-half narrower than the head, and 
is nearly one half longer than wide. 
4. M. impressus, obscure nigro-violaceus; capite thoraceque sat dense 
punctatis, hoe paulo angustiore, latitudine vix longiore, postice gradatim angus- 
tato, pone medium subcanaliculato, elytris minus profunde imbricato-rugosis. 
Long. -5—*6. 
Meloe impressa Kirby, Fauna Bor. Am. 241. 
Var. ? Meloe nigra Kirby, ibid. 241. 
Meloe americanus} Brandt and Erichson, Nov. Act. Leopold-Car. 16, 118. 
