Geotrupes.} LAMELLICOBNIA. 43 



longitudinal line , thorax in both sexes rather thickly punctured at 

 sides, with the disc very diffusely punctured, and with a longitudinal 

 line in centre, abbreviated in front, and chiefly indicated by an irregular 

 Miiu r l'' or double row of large punctures ; the greatest breadth is behind 

 middle ; elytra at base about as broad as thorax, with rather strong but 

 finely-punctured strife, of which seven are placed between the suture 

 aiul humeral prominence ; legs black, posterior tibiae with three carinae 

 on their outer side. L. 14-20 mm. 



Male with the thorax larger than in female, the posterior femora 

 armed before base with a sharp tubercle, and the trochanters produced 

 into a spine at apex ; the anterior tibiae are longitudinally keeled in the 

 middle beneath, the keel being more or less distinctly toothed, ending 

 in a sharp tooth at the base of the third inflexed marginal tooth, and 

 not enlarged before that tooth ; the posterior femora and the apex 

 of their trochanters are strongly toothed, the femoral tooth being 

 somewhat the stronger of the two, and slightly recurved. 



In dang; generally distributed and common throughout the kingdom. 



Cr. Btercorarius, L., nee Er. (putridarius, Er.). Closely allied to 

 the preceding, but rather larger on an average, with the body more 

 shining and more metallic ; the chief distinguishing character, however, 

 lies in the fact tliat the abdomen is punctured and pubescent through- 

 out, even in the middle ; the mandibles are simply sinuate at api-x 

 instead of bisinuate as in the preceding species ; the thorax is im- 

 punctate or almost impunctate on disc, and not so thickly punctured at 

 the sides, and the central line is less strongly indicated, and scarcely, if at 

 all, punctured ; the antennae are usually lighter, but this is not a de- 

 pendable character ; in the male the anterior tibiae are longitudinally 

 keeled beneath, but the keel is not denticulate, and ends in an acute 

 toothlet at the base of the third marginal tooth (which is scarcely 

 inflexed), and is enlarged outwardly in a curve before this toothlet ; 

 the posterior trochanters and femora are toothed, with the teeth equal 

 in size. L. 16-23 mm. 



In dung; not so common perhaps as the preceding species, but apparently gene- 

 rally distributed throughout the kingdom. 



(G. foveatus, Marsh, (intermediug, Ferr.; punctato-striatus, Steph.; 

 putridarius, Muls. ; atercorariw var. minor, Er.; stercorarivs var. <?, 

 Thomson). This species of Marsham is retained in Dr. Sharp's catalogue 

 and the European catalogue of Heyden, Reitter, and Weise, on the 

 authority of Baron von Harold, who has made a particular study of the 

 genus (Col. Heft. xi. pp. 87-101); there is, however, great confusion with 

 regard to it, and I must say that I agree with Mr. Rye (to whose 

 remarks on the species in the; Entomologist's Annual for 1874 I am much 

 indebted in the descriptions above given) in regarding it either as a myth 

 or a hybrid ; the anterior tibia; appear to be altogether as in G. spiniger, 

 Marsh., but the body is shining and metallic as in <*'. fl'-n'orariiu, I*, ami 



