BEETLES. 71 



large family, remarkable for beauty and richness o! colouring, 

 and is divisible into several easily distinguishable groups. 



Group I. COPROPHINI (Dung Beetles). 



The terminal club of the antenna? has from three to seven 



movable plates, and the labrum is prominent. The elytra 



completely cover the abdomen. These beetles generally live 



in dung, and their larvae are often found very deep in the 



ground. 



Genus Sisyphus, Latr. 



Body rounded; antennae eight-jointed, with an almost oval 

 club; pronotum large, with a border behind, closely approxi- 

 mated to the base of the elytra. Elytra almost triangular. 

 Scutellum not visible. The front legs are rather small, and 

 the hind ones long. 



S. schaefferi, Linn. (Plate VII., Fig. 6). Black, with reddish- 

 brown palpi, and brown antennae, with a blackish club. They 

 frequent pastures, living in the dung of cows and sheep, which 

 they make into round balls in which the female lays its eggs. 

 These it rolls away to a suitable place. It is found in various 

 parts of Central Europe. 



Genus Copris, Geoff. 



Antennae with nine joints. Clypeus deeply notched in front. 

 Eyes incompletely divided. Scutellum not visible. Front 

 tibiae with tliree or four teeth on the outer side, hind tibia? 

 distinctly thicker towards the extremity. The only species 

 found with us is : 



♦ C. lunai'is, Linn. (Plate VIL, Fig. 7). Shining black, the 

 male with a long, slightly recurved horn on the head, and tlie 

 female with a short horn, notched at the apex. The smallest 

 male s})ecimens can scarcely be distinguished from the female. 



