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CHAPTER XIII. 



THE LAMELLICORNES, OE " CHAFERS." 



THE Lamellicornes , which (with the exception of the 

 Trogida] are exclusively vegetable or dung-feeders, are 

 divided into ten families the Cetomida, Rutelidce, 

 Melolonthidae, Sericida, Hoplidce, Geotrupida, Copridce, 

 Aphodiidce, Trogida, and Lucanida. It should, how- 

 ever, be remarked that these (and similar) divisions, and 

 the characters given for them in the present volume, 

 apply for the most part only to the British species. 



They are chiefly distinguished by the club of their 

 antennae, which is composed of transverse lamellated 

 joints, varying from three to seven in number -, and, ex- 

 cept in the Lucanidce, moveable like the leaves of a book. 

 Their antennae are short, usually nine or ten jointed 

 (the Geotrupida alone having eleven joints), with the 

 basal joint enlarged or lengthened, and always inserted 

 in front of and near the eyes, under a reflected margin 

 of the head. 



Their legs, and especially the anterior pair, are formed 

 for digging ; with all the tarsi five-jointed, the posterior 

 coxae moveable, and the front acetabula (or pits for the 

 reception or articulation of the anterior coxae) enclosed 

 by a rim on every side. 



