COLEOPTERA. 



Our second tribe, or the SPH^ERIDIOTA, consists of terrestrial Palpicornes, 

 with tarsi composed of five very distinct joints, the first of which is at least 

 as long as the second. The maxillary palpi are somewhat shorter than the 

 antennae, with the third joint longer, inflated, and in the form of a reversed 

 cone. The maxillary lobes are membranous. 



The body is nearly hemispherical, the posterior extremity of the praesternum 

 is prolonged into a point, and the tibiae are spinous ; those that are anterior are 

 palmated or digitated in the large species. The antennae always consist of nine 

 joints, or of eight, if the last be considered as an appendage of the penultimate. 



These Insects are small, and inhabit cow-dung and other manures ; certain 

 species are found near the shores of rivers, &c. They compose the genus 



SPHJSRIDIUM, Fabricius, 



From which, however, we must separate several species, a division already 

 effected by Olivier. Dr. Leach only considers as such those in which the 

 anterior tarsi of the males are dilated. Such is 



S. k-maculatum. Which is of a shining black and smooth ; the scutellum 

 is elongated, and the legs are very spinous; a blood-red spot at the base of each 

 elytron, and their extremity reddish. In some individuals these spots diminish 

 or disappear. 



FAMILY VI. 



LAMELLICORNES *. 



IN our sixth and last family of pentamerous Coleoptera, we find the antenna; 

 inserted into a deep fossula under the lateral margin of the head; they are 

 always short, usually consist of nine or ten joints, and are always terminated 

 in a club usually composed of the three last, which are lamellar, sometimes 

 flabelliform or disposed like the leaves of a book, opening and closing in a 

 similar way, sometimes concentrically contorted and fitting in each other, the 

 first or inferior then being semi-infundibuliform and receiving the others, and 

 sometimes arranged perpendicular to the axis and forming a sort of comb. 



The body is generally ovoid or oval, and thick. The exterior side of the 

 two anterior tibiae is dentated, and the joints of the tarsi, with the exception of 

 those of some males, are entire and without brush or pellet beneath. 



The anterior extremity of the head most commonly projects or is dilated in 

 the manner of an epistoma. The men turn is usually large, covers the ligula or 

 is incorporated with it, and bears the palpi. The mandibles of several are 

 membranous, a character observed in no other coleopterous Insects. The 

 males frequently differ from the females, either by prominences on the thorax 

 or head in the form of horns or tubercles, or by the largeness of their 

 mandibles. 



Horns foliated. 



