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NATURAL HISTORY. 



About 550 species of Stag-beetles have bean described. Being pre-eminently wood-feeders, 

 and living in their larva stage in the interior of the trunks of large trees, they are found 

 plentifully only in well-wooded countries ; and in or near the tropics, where the forests are of varied 

 kinds of trees, they present themselves in the greatest number and variety. We have in England only 

 three species : Lucanus cervus, Dorcus parallelopipedns, and Sinodendron cylindricum. The last-named 



is found in all stages, sometimes in great plenty, in 

 the interior of dead ash-trees. We figure a gigantic 

 species of Dorcus found in Java. Lamprima, a 

 remarkable genus of metallic-coloured Stag-beetles, 

 with straight mandibles, is peculiar to Australia ; 

 bnt the most eccentric form of the family occurs in 

 Chili : this is the Chiasognathns grantii, which 

 has excessively lengthened saw-like jaws, longer 

 than the rest of the body. 



FAMILY SCARAB^TD^E, OR TRUE LAMELLI- 

 CORNIA. 



The host of species belonging to this second 

 and greater division of the Lamellicorns are grouped 

 under eleven natural sub-families, which them- 

 selves fall into two groups, according to the position 

 of the spiracles, or breathing-holes in the sides of 

 the abdomen. Seven sub families, forming a legion 

 called Laparostictica, have the abdominal spiracles 

 all situated in the connecting membrane between 

 the dorsal and ventral arcs of the abdominal rings. 

 They are further distinguished by the ligula, or 

 tongue, being distinct from the mentum. Four 

 sub-families, forming the legion Pleurostictica, have 

 the spiracles partly in the connecting membrane 

 and partly pierced in the ventral arcs of the seg- 

 ments ; in these the ligula is nearly always soldei'ed 

 to the inner side of the mentum. 



To the first legion belong the numerous sub- 

 family of Coprincp, which include the greater part of 

 the dxing-feeding Lamellicorns, and are distinguished by the front part of the head, or clypeus, being 

 extended as a semicircular shield over the mouth, and the general absence of a scutellum. Many of 

 them are fine insects, often of rich metallic colours, and remarkable for the horns and eccentric 

 protuberances with which the head and thorax of the males are adorned. Such ai-e the Phcmcei of the 

 warmer parts of America, and the Onthophagi, spread over all tropical and temperate countries ; of 

 the latter about 500 species are known, and the horns of the male insects are more varied 

 in shape than in any other group. In one section of the sub-family the hind legs are elongated, and 

 the tarsal joints short and of equal width ; to this the sacred Scarabaji of the ancient Egyptians 

 belong. These Beetles have the singular habit of forming pellets of dung, by rolling portions of this 

 substance along the sandy soil by means of their long hind legs. It has long been taken for 

 granted that the object for which these remarkable insects roll these dung-pills with such astonishing 

 industry and pertinacity is to provide food in this form for their unborn progeny. The account 

 generally given in books on natural history is to the effect that the pellets are rolled chiefly by the 

 female insects, which deposit an egg in each, and trundle the precious burden, walking backwards, to 

 a burrow previously excavated in a dry bank at some little distance. Often more than one 

 individual is observed working at a pellet, especially when this falls into some hole, whence 

 additional aid is necessary to extract it. Sometimes pellets have been seen stolen from the lawful 

 owner by a brother Scarabseus, under pretence of giving help, and cases have been circumstantially 

 related in which the males encourage and help their mates. The essential point in this curious 



DORCUS TITAN. 



