236 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. lo* 



line. Lateral portions of pronotum near margin with a vaguely 

 defined indentation medially. Minute secondary punctures not ap- 

 parent. Scutellum small, triangular with sides slightly arcuate. 

 Elytra connate, metathoracic wings absent (this fact being called to 

 my attention by Dr. T. H. Hubbell), elytral striae obsolete, indicated 

 by rows of coarse punctures usually separated dorsally by a distance 

 two to three times their own diameter. Elytral margin narrow, 

 approximately the same width throughout. 



Foretibia of male with anteriormost of the usually eight external 

 teeth expanded iuAvard and forward, somewhat bifid. The tip of the 

 inward expansion, the tip of the normal portion of the tooth, and the 

 tip of the penultimate tooth forming an almost straight row of tuber- 

 cles. No other pronounced sexual modifications noticeable in male. 

 Tarsal claws similar in both sexes as are hind femora. In both sexes 

 there is a dorsal longitudinal raised carina extending along the inner 

 edge of the foretibia, similar to the carina in blackbumii. A row of 

 deeply indented setae is adjacent to the base of carina. Near the 

 midline of the dorsal surface of the foretibia is a vague raised carina 

 parallel to the carina on the inner edge, seemingly enclosing the 

 previously mentioned row of setae in a wide shallow groove with 

 small cross ridges separating each seta. External face of tibia of 

 meso- and metathoracic legs each with three complete transverse 

 carinae and from two to five vaguely indicated partial carinae. 



Genitalia and genital capsule of male well developed, the elongate, 

 rather linear dorsal parameres being quite distinctive (pi, 4, fig. 3). 



The specimens examined showed little variation, except in size of 

 the coarse dorsal punctures and curvature of the elytra. No constant 

 geographical variation was noted. 



The species can be readily distinguished by its small size, connate 

 elytra, obsolete elytral striae, male genitalia, clypeus more arcuate 

 laterally, and the dark shining brown color with traces of blue or 

 purple on the thoracic and elytral margins. Also the dark brown 

 antennal club seems characteristic. 



Geotrupes ulkei Blanchard, while being one of the least frequently 

 collected of the North American Geotrupes, was one of the first species 

 to have its larval biology discovered. 



The rarity of the species seems to be due in part to the restricted 

 habitat of this insect and its general secretiveness. The type speci- 

 mens were collected at fungi by Ulke, Subsequently, specimens 

 have been collected in cans of fermenting malt or molasses and in 

 their burrows. 



All of the available information on the biology of the species has 

 been published by Loding (1935, p. 108), His information was 

 obtained from a colony of these beetles at Monte Sano, Madison 



