TilK I.AMKTJJCOIJN' BEKTI^RP. 



913 



Fig. 3()0. Caiithim Utris Drury. Male and 

 fi'iiuile at work lolling a ball of dung. 



al)le (listiincc. Ww i<>ll^•. slciulrr. slightly curved liiiul til)i;t' having 

 bccoiuc iu()tlili"<l and woll adapted for 

 this work. The hootlos work in })aii-s, 

 a Hiah' and a rcinalc toiiother, and the 

 hall wliich 1hc\- foil is oL'ten several 

 times as lai'<-;c as their eonilnned size. 

 (Fig. :?()<>.) They (inally 1)ury the 

 liail ill Iho ground aixl the female 

 then deposits an egg in (me side of it, 

 thus insnring the fntnre larva a snit- 

 ahle sii|)|)ly of food. Comstoek says 

 that "this is one of the instances, 

 rare among insects, where the male 

 realizes that he has some responsibil- 

 ity as a father, and assists the female 

 in providinu' for the yonng. This 



strange habit of rolling these balls has occasioned much speculation 

 as to its object, and has been the source of many superstitions, espe- 

 cially in ancient times. The only reasonable theory that we have 

 met is that, as many predaceous insects frequent the masses of dung 

 from which the bads are obtained, in order to prey upon the-larva^ 

 which live there, the more intellig(>nt tuinble-bugs remove the food 

 for their larva? to a safe distance. " The sexes of Canthon are alike 

 in appearance and th(> clypeus lias prominent teeth at the middle. 

 Five species have been taken in Indiana, while four others may 

 occur. 



KEY TO INDIANA SPECIES OF CANTHON. 



a. Sides of thorax Iteneatli without an entire transverse carina. 



1). Cl.vpeus with four to six teeth; hind thighs not margined in front; 

 size small or nicdinni. ("> to 10 mm.; color black. 

 c. Hind tibife with two spurs. 1T23. nigricornis. 



CO. Hind tibi:Te with one spur. 



(7. Subhumeral stria not carinate; surface coarsely granulate. 



r. Hind femora with bristle-bearing punctures; thorax more 



coarsely granulate. ehencs. 



cc. Hind fem(U-a with fine seta', sparsely punctate; thorax more 



d(>ns(>ly. much less coarsely granulate. depressipennis. 



(Id. Suhhumeral stria carinate; surface not granulate, very smooth. 



almost shining. probus. 



hh. Cl.vpeus with two teclli ; hind lliiglis margined in front; size larger. 



11-L'L' nun. 



/'. Eyes larger: :nitcnn;c I'eddisli-lirown. vroiL.XNS. 



ff. Eyes smaller: ant(-nn:e dark hi-own. 



</. 'Dioi'ax disdnctly granul;ile: pygidiuiu and last ventral si'gmenl. 

 irranulate. ' 1'-^- t-kvis. 



