THE LAIUELL1CORN MKKThUS. 015 



curs beneath fiat stones on hillsides near Wyandotte Cave. This 

 and the next are the smallest species of the genus. 



1727 (5439). CANTHON PERPLEXUS Lee.. Journ. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., Ser. 2. 

 I, 1847, 85. 



Broadly oval or subrotund. Brown bronzed, shining. Thorax rather 

 coarsely punctured. Elytra more finely punctured, each puncture bearing 

 a very small, recumbent, scale-like hair. Hind tibiae slightly curved. Length 

 4.5-5.5 mm. 



Knox County; rare. July 8. A single specimen from border 

 of cypress swamp. Known from Illinois and westward. 



II. CHCERIDIUM Lep. 1825. (Gr., "a young pig.") 



This genus contains two small, rounded species resembling 

 Hister in general appearance. They have the under side of thorax 

 transversely carinate and, as in the next three genera, the middle 

 and hind tibia? much expanded at apex. By this character they 

 may be readily separated from the small species of Canthon. One 

 of the two has been taken in Indiana, 



*172S (5441). CHCERIDIUM HISTEROIDES Web., Obs. Ent., 1801, 37. 



Rounded, convex. Bronzed above; dark chestnut 

 brown beneath, strongly shining. Clypeus emarginate 

 or two-toothed. Thorax with a feeble median im- 

 pressed line on basal half and a small, deep rounded 

 impression on each side ; surface sparsely and shal- 

 lowly punctured. Elytra finely striate, the stria? in- 

 distinctly punctured. Male with spur of front tibia? 

 dilated in the form of a small, circular sessile disk. 

 Length 6-7 mm. (Fig. 361.) 



Throughout the State ; common in the south- 

 ern, scarce in the northern counties. Occurs Fig 301. x 4. 

 most abundantly in half-dried cow dung, and 

 hibernates sparingly beneath this and logs. February 23 Novem- 

 ber 17. 



III. COPRIS Geoff. 1762. (Gr., "dung.") 



Medium or large-sized species having the labial palpi broad, 

 compressed and 3-jointed : the front coxa 3 conical, large and prom- 

 inent; all tarsal claws distinct but without a bristle-tipped process 

 (onychium) between them. The males have the head or thorax <r 

 both either tuberculate or horned. The species of Copris do not 

 transport excrement in balls any great distance, but bury it in bur- 

 rows on or near the spot. 



KEY TO INDIANA SPECIES OF COPRIS. 



a. Elytra each with eight stria?; front of head semicircular; thorax with a 

 transverse carina on sides beneath. 



