453 



dirty yellowish white. Each larva was found enclosed in 

 a globular case of dung or earthy matter, about an inch and a 

 quarter in diameter." (Proceedings of the Entomological 

 Society of Philadelphia, vol. i, pi. 1, fig. 1.) 



The closely allied PUaneus carnifex MacLeay is common 

 southward, and easily known by its brilliant copper colored 

 thorax and bright green elytra, and by the large horn on the 

 head of the male. These insects are called "Tumble-bugs," as 

 they enclose their eggs in pellets of manure, holding them be- 

 tween their hind legs, and rolling them away to a place of safet3 r . 

 The species of Aphoditis live also in manure ; they are quite 

 small, nearly cylindrical, with the mouth-parts concealed by 

 the clypeus ; the antenna; are nine-jointed, the club consisting 

 of three joints, and the lobes of the maxillae are membrana- 

 ceous, unarmed, while the upper parts of the eyes are visible in 

 repose. Apliodius fimetarius Linn., which is black with bright 

 red elytra, has been introduced from Europe, and is abundant 

 in woods, frying over dung ; it is now common in the carriage 

 road of Mount Washington. Fig. 406 represents the larva of 

 the European A. fossor Linn. Chapuis and Candeze 

 found it in manure in spring. Geotrupes has eleven- 

 jointed antennae, with the club three-jointed, the mid- 

 dle coxpa are contiguous, and while the club of its 

 nearest ally, Bolbocenis, a shorter insect, is large 

 and lenticular in form, that of the present genus 

 is lamellate, as usual. Geotrnpes splendidns Fabr. is 

 a common beetle, with a bright shining green body, flying in 

 paths and wood roads late in the summer. The species of. 

 Trox differ in having slightly fossorial legs ; they are oblong 

 convex, the surface being very rough and covered with dirt 

 which is scraped off with difficulty. They live in dried deca}'- 

 ing animal matter, and, according to Leconte, "possess a dis- 

 tinct stridulating organ ; it is an elliptical plate, with pearly 

 reflections, occupying the upper part of the external face of 

 the ascending po.rtion of the first ventral segment, and is cov- 

 ered by the elytra ; on the inner surface of the elytra, near the 

 margin, about opposite the thorax, is an oval, smooth, polished 

 space, which has, probably, some connection with the stridu- 

 latiug organ." The larva of " Trox Carolina Dej." (T. scabro- 



