200 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



nal insects, and their appearance is agreeable, as in- 

 dicating the grateful return of spring. 



The Onthophagi are known by having the ter- 

 minal joint of the maxillary palpus attenuated at 

 each end, and truncate the same joint in the labial 

 pair being somewhat kidney-shaped and truncate ; 

 by the short thick body, with the thorax wider than 

 long, and nearly orbicular, with a wide and deep notch 

 in its anterior margin ; and by having the contour of 

 the head entire or slightly emarginate. There is 

 no perceptible scutellum. As in the following ge- 

 nus, the four posterior tibiae are always dilated at 

 their extremities, and nearly in the form of an elon- 

 gate triangle. The sexes are distinguished by some 

 horn-like process or tubercles, which rise from the 

 head or thorax of the male. 



ONTHOPHA.GUS DILLWYNII. 

 PLATE X. FIG. 2. 



Onthoph. Dillwynii, Kirly Stcph. Illus. of British En- 

 tomology, vol. iii. 174, pi. 18, fig. 6. 



This insect is closely allied to the better known 

 species named O. nuchicornis. It has been found 

 near Gravesend, and in the neighbourhood of Swan- 

 sea, by L. W. Dillwyn, Esq. after whom it was 

 named by Dr Leach. It is of a brassy-black colour, 

 and more or less covered with fine short hairs. The 

 thorax is thickly covered with minute granulations, 



