SCARAB^IDAE. 123 



Sub-Family I.— SCARABJSIDAE LAPAROSTICTI. 



Besides the characters given by the position of the abdominal 

 spiracles in the membrane connecting the ventral and dorsal seg- 

 ments, and the ligula separate from the mentum, these insects, or 

 at least a portion of them, exhibit characters not found in the 

 other families. 



In many of them the upper surface of the head is much dilated 

 on the front and sides (but never reflexed, as in most Melolon- 

 thidaa) ; the clypeal suture is distinct, and ascends towards the 

 vertex, forming an angle ; the mandibles are usually thin plates, 

 frequently membranous, small, and invisible, except on dissection ; 

 sometimes, however (Geotrupes, &c), they are well developed. 

 In some of the genera the antenna? are 11-jointed. The club of 

 the antennae consists of but three joints, except in Pleocoma, and 

 in some the first joint of the club is hollowed out so as to receive 

 the second or even the last joint. The tarsi are armed with simple 

 claws in all of our genera, except Phanseus, where the claws are 

 wanting; in some genera of Coprini the anterior tarsi are want- 

 ing. The usual bisetose onychium is wanting in Acanthocerini, 

 Trogini, Aphodiini, and some Coprini. 



The arrangement of this sub-family is adopted nearly as in 

 Lacordaire's work, with the exception of the removal of the tribe 

 Glaphyrini to the next sub-family, and the establishment of two 

 new tribes. 



The species all live on decomposing animal matter, and most 

 of them in excrements. 



The tribes are as follows : — 



Abdomen with six visible ventral segments ; 

 Antennae 9- or 10-jointed (club always 3-jointed) ; 



Posterior tibiae with a single spur. Copkini. 



Posterior tibiae with two spurs ; 

 Side pieces of metathorax simple ; 



Antennae 9-jointed. ArnomiNr. 



Antennae 10-jointed. Oephnini. 



Epimera of metathorax visible. Hybosokiki. 



Antennae 11-jointed ; 

 Club 3-jointed, mandibles and labrum prominent. Geotkupini. 



Club many-leaved, mandibles and labrum small. Pleocomim. 



Abdomen with five visible ventral segments ; 

 Epimera of niesothorax attaining the oblique coxae ; 



