204 ^ATUEAL HISTORY OF 



The genus Geotrupes* has antennae with the 

 three last joints dilated and transverse, forming a 

 lamellate club, as in the following figure. The 

 mandibles stand out from the head, 

 and are notched at the apex. The 

 eyes are divided by the margin of 

 the head, and touch the thorax. The 

 latter is as broad as the elytra, and 

 very convex. The elytra are short 

 and oval. Ten different kinds are 

 met with in Britain. That repre- 

 sented is the most common in the northern parts of 

 this country ; it is named 



GEOTRUPES STERCORARIUS. 



PLATE X. Fig. 5. 



Scarabaeus stercorarius, Linn, 



It is entirely black above, tinted on the margins 

 with violet or brassy : the thorax is without punc- 

 tures on the disk, but has a few impressed points 

 towards the sides, and a short line in the middle 

 behind. The elytra are marked with deep striae, 

 the spaces between which are smooth and somewhat 

 convex. The under side and legs are steel blue, 

 glossed with purple or green in a very beautiful 

 manner. 



* Derived from yn y the earth, and rgturaitv, to bore. 



