46 NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS. 



facilitate the process of digging, and the antenna? in 

 many of them terminate in a knob, which consists of 

 from three to seven leafy pieces (lamella?), which they 

 fold or unfold at pleasure, like a fan. These last are 

 on 'this account called Lamellicornes. 



Notwithstanding some of these Insects dwell in the 

 most disgusting and filthy abodes, from which also they 

 take their nourishment, they are still very clean in their 

 appearance, and generally very bright in their colour. 

 Their olfactory organs are very powerful and of great 

 extent, for scarcely a horse or cow drops its dung in a 

 pasture, but we see them flying to it from all directions, 

 digging themselves into it, working it up, and making 

 holes under it in the ground, into which they deposit 

 their eggs, or making balls of it like the Tumble-bug. 



The larva? of these Insects live under ground, and 

 feed on the parts of their dwellings, viz., on manure, 

 decayed wood or carrion, or roots. They are of a 

 cylindrical form, somewhat thicker behind, and round, 

 and consist of twelve generally pale yellow coloured 

 ringlets: their head is horny, they have two strong 

 jaws and six legs. On each side of the body are the 

 breathing organs, consisting of nine holes, the same as 

 in Caterpillars. Their back is generally curved, and 

 hence they cannot stretch themselves out, or walk upon 

 level ground. Many of them live in this seemingly 

 pitiful condition for several years before they change 



