78 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. ii4 



Females. — ^Length 3.5 to 5 mm., width 2.3 to 2.7 mm. Differing 

 from male majors in the following respects : Head with clypeus scarcely 

 reflexed anteriorly, not at all laterally; clypeus anteriorly emarginate 

 with the emargination laterally sharply delimited by abrupt angula- 

 tions giving clypeus a bidentate appearance; disc coarsely, rugosely 

 punctate; clypeal carina present but not very strong, highest medially. 

 Frons and genae coarsely setigerously punctate; vertex with low, 

 transverse carina complete, depressed, and bent posteriorly at the 

 midline; surface behind carina alutaceous and bearing a few coarse, 

 setigerous punctures. 



Pronotum less convex than in male majors, the anterior pronotal 

 protuberance obsolete, otherwise similar. Elytra with tubercles, 

 setae, and alutaceous sculptm-e usually more pronounced than in the 

 males. Pygidium less convex apically, punctures more pronounced. 

 Ventral surfaces with punctures and setae often more obvious than 

 in males. Last abdominal segment not narrowed medially. Fore- 

 legs not lengthened, femora not reaching lateral pronotal margins. 

 Foretibia short, rather stocky, with the four teeth pronounced; outer 

 margin denticulate or serrate between and above the teeth; tibial 

 apex lacking conical projection and pencil of hairs. Legs in other 

 respects similar to those of males. 



Type. — Canadian National Collection 2461. 



Type locality. — Morris Co., Kansas. 



Specimens examined. — 60. 



Distribution. — (See fig. 5, p. 37.) 



Illinois: White Heath, kansas: Douglas Co., Lawrence, Morris Co., Topeka. 

 NEBRASKA: Bennet, Omaha, texas: Abilene, Austin, Camp Stanley (Bexar 

 Co.), Dallas, Garner State Pk., Kerrville, Kott ranch (Gillespie Co.). 



Remarks. — Onthophagus knausi is easily distinguished from species 

 occurring north of Mexico by its small size, emarginate clypeus, densely 

 annularly pmictate pronotum, and irregularly biseriately tuberculate, 

 opaquely alutaceous elytral intervals. A Central American species, 

 0. digitifer Boucomont, is similar to knausi but is even smaller and 

 has a more densely punctate pronotum and more conspicuous elytral 

 setae. 



Little is known concerning the life history of 0. knausi, which is a 

 relatively rare species ranging from Illinois and Nebraska to south- 

 central Texas. L. J. Bottimer has taken a number of specimens in 

 the vicinity of Kerrville, Tex., on deer droppings and more rarely 

 on other types of dung. Many of the specimens were taken in April. 

 Nothing is known concerning food utOized by the larvae. 



