32 NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS. 



In this family we find the largest Beetles, as, for instance, 

 the Hercules of South America, which is five inches long. 

 Many of them, also, are remarkable for their very singular 

 forms. Upon their thorax or head we generally notice sev- 

 eral horns, w'lich are used to facilitate the process of dig- 

 ging, and the antennas in many of them terminate in a 

 knob, which consists of from three to seven leafy pieces 

 (famellce), which they fold or unfold at pleasure, like a fan. 

 These last are on this account called Lamellicornes. 



Notwithstanding some of these insects dwell in the most 

 disgusting and filthy abodes, from which also they take 

 their nourishment, they are still very clean in their appear- 

 ance, and generally very bright in their color. Their olfac- 

 tory organs are very powerful and of great extent, for 

 scarcely a horse or cow drops its dung in a pasture but we 

 see them flying to it from all directions, digging themselves 

 into it, working it up, and making holes under it in the 

 ground, into which they deposit their eggs, or making balls 

 of it like the Tumble-bug. 



The larvse of these insects live under ground, and feed 

 on the parts of their dwellings, viz., on manure, decayed 

 wood or carrion, or roots. They are of a cylindrical form, 

 somewhat thicker behind, and round, and consist of twelve 

 generally pale yellow-colored ringlets : their head is horny ; 

 they have two strong jaws and six legs. On each side 

 of the body are the breathing organs, consisting of nine 

 holes, the same as in caterpillars. Their back is generally 

 curved, and hence they can not stretch themselves out or 

 walk upon level ground. Many of them live in this seem- 

 ingly pitiful condition for several years before they change 

 into a cocoon (pupa) ; then, with the material of their 

 dwellings, which they anoint with a gelatinous substance 

 coming from their bodies, they form an oblong, cocoon, into 

 which they gather themselves, and remain safe from all ex- 

 ternal influences, until after a longer or shorter time their 



