266 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. i04 



of pronotum noticeably less than posterior half, coarsely punctured 

 unevenly over entire pronotum; punctures more numerous laterally 

 and along vaguely indented midline, where they form a narrow line. 

 An uneven indentation, heavily punctured, may be present medially 

 on each side of the pronotum. Minute secondary punctures may be 

 evident over entire pronotum or visible only laterally. Scutellum 

 triangular with sides only slightly arcuate. Elytra with striae well 

 developed, strial punctures irregidar in outline and shallow, rather 

 evenly placed in the striae. Elytral margin narrow, slightly wider 

 anteriorly. 



Foretibia of the male with apical tooth inwardly expanded, slightly 

 bifid; the mesotarsal claw is greatly enlarged and the hind femur has a 

 small posterior tooth in the males, modifications which are not present 

 in the females. In both sexes there is a dorsal longitudinal uninter- 

 rupted carina extending along the inner edge of the foretibia similar 

 to carina of blackburnii; a row of setae is contiguous with the carina 

 throughout its length. External face of tibia of meso- and meta- 

 thoracic legs each with three complete transverse carinae and two 

 partial ones. 



Genitaha and genital capsule of male well developed, the shape of 

 dorsal parameres readily separating the species (pi. 4, fig. 1). 



The species may be most easily distinguished by the well developed 

 strial punctures, the male genitalia (pi. 4, fig. 1), the shape of the 

 carina and the closely adjacent row of setae on the foretibia, the 

 enlarged tarsal claw of the mesothoracic leg of the males, and usually 

 the shining gi'een color. 



Variation, particularly in color, within the species is considerable, 

 with punctures and size varying to a noticeable extent. The descrip- 

 tion was based on Raleigh, N. C, specimens compared with the 

 Fabrician type for me by S. L. Tuxen. Size limits given in the 

 description refer to southern specimens only, as does the description of 

 color. Specimens collected from North Carolina southward generally 

 are quite uniform in size and color. The constancy diminishes north- 

 ward and westward. Specimens collected west of the Appalachian 

 Mountams usually show sufiicient constant size and color differences 

 to warrant subspecific rank, which they are subsequently given. How- 

 ever, as areas of intergradation are large with clear subspecific separa- 

 tion not always possible, no attempt at separation has been made in 

 the species locality list, both subspecies being listed together. 



Although Geotrupes splendidus splendidus is one of the most common 

 and most widely distributed species in the genus, there have been rela- 

 tively few notes published on its biology. The feeding habits, partic- 

 idarly of the newly emerged adults in the fall, appeared to be 

 amazingly varied. While fungi were noted to be the preferred food, 



