INSECTA MADERENSIA. 233 



membranacea biloba. Pedes parum validi svxbretractiles : femorihus anticis valde dilatatis : tibiis 

 anticis extus leviter tridentatis, omnibus setosis : tarsis filiformibus, articulis quatuor baseos lon- 

 gitudine subsequalibus. 



Apart from their thick, obtuse, more or less setose and rugosely tuberculated 

 bodies, the Tvoges have many points of peculiarity which will serve to separate 

 them from the neighbouring groups. Thus, for instance, their 10-jointed and 

 basaUy -pilose antennae, in conjunction with their ««eg'««Z/?/-emarginated upper 

 lip and singular maxillas, the inner lobe of which is powerfully uncinated at its 

 tip, and scarcely smaller than the outer one (a structure of very rare occurrence 

 in the Corel ylocerata, in which the interior division is usually minute, and often 

 altogether ol^solete), are more than sufficient whereby to identify them. From 

 the Aphodiad(B the members of the present family are immediately distinguished 

 by the robust nature of their corneous and incrassated (though apically acute) 

 mandibles and hardened labrum (both of which are imconcealed by the clypeus, — 

 though, at the same time, on account of the deflexion of the head, they are not 

 very apparent from above), and by their broader anterior femora and less dilated 

 fore-tibige. In then- modes of life the Trogklce somewhat recede from the Cordijlo- 

 cerata generally, carrying out the subnecrophagous tendency which is faintly 

 indicated in the aberrant Aphodiadce to a much greater extent; though it is 

 scarcely possible however to regard them as strictly necrophagous, since they 

 partake almost equally of the normal habits of the Fsammodii, in frequenting 

 putrescent vegetable matter in maritime or sandy spots. Still, their constant 

 lialDility to be attracted by di'ied animal remains compels us to regard them as 

 at any rate partially osslpliagous ; siuce, whatever may be their means of suste- 

 nance in positions where such food is not to be obtained, it is certain that they 

 not only feed, but feed voraciously on the cartilaginous portions of bones when 

 placed within their reach, — a propensity which their strong, pointed mandibles 

 and uncinated maxillae would seem in fact especially to favoui*. 



183. Trox scaber. 



T. obtuso-ovatus niger, setulis fulvis adspersus necnon ad latera ciliatus, prothorace transverso 

 injequali, elytris leviter pimctato-striatis, inteistitiis longitudinaliter fasciculato-tuberculatis, 

 antennis ferrugineis. 



Long. Corp. lin. 3. 



Silplta scahra, Limi. ^st. Nat. i. ii. 573 (1767). 

 Trox a/renarius, Fab. Ent. Syst. i. 87 (1792). 



, G-yU. Ins. Suec. i. 11 (1808). 



scahei; Hear, Fiia Col HcJv. i. 533 (ISil). 



Habitat Maderam, mihi non obvius : exemplar unicum, a Dom. Heineckeu prope urbem Funchalensem 

 jam pridem captum, amicissime communicavit Rev"^"^ Dom. Lowe. 



T. ovate, obtuse and thick, dull black, convex, and more or less beset with short, rigid, fulvous setse, 



2h 



