206 



THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Odont^us, K1. 



The males of this genus may easily be known from those oi Bolboceras 

 by their long slender cephalic horn. The females may be placed in their 

 proper genus by the complete division oi the eyes by the side of the head. 

 Two species are known from Old Canada, the males of which may be 

 separated by the following table, the characters used having been pointed 

 out by Dr. Horn. Unfortunately, I have seen no females and am unable 

 to give characters for their specific distinction : 



Horn of head fixed, less slender cornigerus, Mels. 



Horn of head moveable, more slender .filicornis, Say. 



Geotrupes, Latr. 



The three recorded Canadian species are large insects, bronzed, 

 greenish or purplish in colour, easily found in dung during the summer. 

 They do not transport balls, but burrow under the mass. The members 

 of this genus have been very thoroughly studied by Jekel, Horn and 

 Blanchard, so that new characters for their separation can hardly be 

 devised. After study of their tables I offer the following, essentially that of 

 Dr. Horn : 



First joint of hind tarsus shorter than next three; claws of middle 



tarsi chelate in ^ splendidus, Fabr. 



First joint of hind tarsus equal to next three; claws of $ normal. 



Elytral striae with coarse crenate punctures Egeriei, Germ. 



Elytral stride with rather fine punctures Blackbtirnii, Fabr. 



Fig. 24 shows a specimen of G. splendidus. 



NiCAGus, Lee. 

 The only species is N. obsciirus, Lee, a reddish- 

 brov/n or blackish-brown insect, something over a 

 quarter of an inch in length; clothed with short, nearly 

 white hair. The antennal club is large, but the lamellae 

 do not touch one another at base, though they some- 

 times meet at the tips. The thorax has a distinct angu- 

 lation of the sides behind the middle, and is fimbriate 

 with rather long hairs. Dr. Leconte says it has been 

 found flying around heaps of putrid fish, — this is the only record of the 

 habits that I have met with. 



