SCARAB^IDAE. 251 



Sub-Tribe 1 — Ilopfliiiii (g(,'nuini). 



Oblong', flattened insects, living on flowers, and having- llie body 

 more or less covered with flat scales of a yellowish, browni.sh, or 

 silvery color. But one genus, Hoplia, is found in the United 

 States, and is represented by species in eveiy part of our terri- 

 tory ; the males frequently difier from the females by color as 

 well as size, and. even by the texture of the scales and hair, so 

 that, whenever opportunity occurs, tlie sexes of the specimens 

 found should be carefully noted. 



The sub-tribe is known by the ligula being corneous, and con- 

 nate with the nientuni, as in the other Melolonthinffi of our fauna ; 

 by the small scutellum, and by the middle coxa3 being nearly 

 contiguous. 



The characters of the tribe are : the side pieces of the meta- 

 thorax are always broad ; the club of the antennae is 3-jointed ; 

 the mandibles have an interior plate; the labruni is very short, 

 and concealed under the clypeus; the anterior coxse are large, 

 conical, and prominent; the tibine have but a single very small 

 terminal spur, larger on the middle tibiaj in some females; the 

 claws are chelate and very unequal, and the onychium is entirely 

 wanting; the hind tarsi, and in H. equina, also the middle ones 

 have but a single claw; the ventral segments are connate, and 

 the sixth is indistinct; the last spiracle is on the suture between 

 the propygidium and fift i ventral. 



Sub-Trib<' 2. — Diclieloiiycliiiii. 



The genus Dichclonycha alone represents this sub-tril)e in our 

 fauna, but is universally distriluiled. It is distinguished from 

 various foreign sub-tribes liaving i)rominent anterior coxas, dis- 

 tinct labrum, and separate ventral segments, by the ligula connate 

 with the mentuni, the large vertical and deei)ly eniarginate labruni, 

 and by the sternum not being prominent. The last spiracle is 

 ])laced outside of (he suture between the pro})ygidium and the 

 fifth ventral segment, which are not connate to form a solid ring. 



From Macrodactylini itdiflers by the position of the last abdo- 

 minal spiracle ; by the claws being chelate, or capable of being 

 folded along the last joint of the tarsi, though they are not usually 

 seen in that position ; and by the large, prominent eyes. 

 First ventral segment in great part visit)b;. Dichelonycha. 



First ventral segment nearly liiddcn by the hin<l coxie. Coenonycha. 



