ARTICULATA. I57 



a suitable place, when they commence working the earth from beneath it, 

 and gradually burying it. The American Canthon Icvve (or C. volvens) 

 generally works in pairs, one pushing the ball backwards with its hind feet, 

 its p:>sterior extremity raised up, the other walking up the ball on the 

 opposite side, thus causing it to roll. The ball is about three fourths of an 

 inch in diameter, and quite globular. Copris Carolina makes a small ball, 

 which it buries at once. DdtocJulum glhhosum of the southern states makes 

 a small ball, in the exterior of which there is a great deal of cow's hair. 

 The genus Ateuchus {pi. 81, fig. 132) entered largely into the mythology 

 of the ancient Egyptians, and models and figures of it are common among 

 Egyptian antiquities. In Letlirus cepJialotes {fig. 144), a European insect, 

 the pronotum and elytra nearly correspond in size and convexity, the feet 

 are long, and inserted near each other, and the antennae terminate in a 

 reversed cone. 



The Aphodlidid {figs. 133-5) are small oblong insects found in dung, some 

 of which are black, and some of brighter colors. They may be seen flying 

 slowly along the roads in the warm days of autumn. The elytra cover the 

 entire abdomen. 



The DynastidcB include some of the largest Coleoptera, as D>jiiastes 

 her'cules {fig. 148), D. acteon {fig. 147), D. alsoeus {fig. 146), Oryctes nasi- 

 cornis {fig. 145). During the day they live in the earth, or in the decom- 

 posed matter of old trees, and fly about at night. Scarabxus titgas, of the 

 United States, is found in old apple trees. In general, the male alone has 

 the horn-like projections. 



Mdolonthido}. Melolontlia, vulgaris {pi. 81, fig. 131), M. fullo {fig. 

 130), Mhizotrogus {fig. 129), Serica {fig. 126), are examples of this family, 

 which is important in its relations with agriculture. 



The Cetonildw., of which Cetomia {pi. 81, fig. 125) and Tncliius {fig. 

 127) are examples, contain some of the handsomest of known insects. 

 They feed upon the fluids of plants, as honey and sap, and also upon parts 

 of the blossoms. 



The Serricornia constitute the fourth sub-tribe of the Pentamera, and 

 include man}^ handsome forms of vegetable feeders, in which the antennte 

 are generally short, and serrate, pectinate, or filiform, the apex rarely 

 thickened. The form is lengthened, and the elytra generally cover the 

 abdomen. They include the two stirpes, Macrosternia and Aprosternia. 



The Macrosternia {Sternoxi of Latreille, pi. 81, figs. 22, 23) contain 

 the genera JBuprestis, and many more having the same general characters. 

 They ai^ included in the three tamilies, Bicjyrestida!, ^'ucnemidw, and 

 Elateridce. 



The Buprestidce include a great number of brilliant, large, and medium 

 species resembling gold or precious stones. The body is hard, cylindrical, 

 flattened, elliptic or oval, the feet short and weak, the elytra narrowed 

 towards the end, the wings adapted for a rapid flight, the head vertical and 

 deeply inserted in the prothorax, which is attached by a wide surface to the 

 mesothorax, so that there is but little motion between these parts. They 

 are chiefly inhabitants of warm climates, and the size of the species varies 



361 



