226 NATURAL ARRANGEMENT OF INSECTS. 



have yet received. In the typical genus, Scarabenus, 

 the clypeus is semicircular in front, but deeply marked 

 by obtuse tooth-like divisions, as in S. Sneer, varying 

 in number according to the sub-genera, and even, 

 sometimes, in the sjiecies. None of these, however, 

 have any horns or erect spines, either upon the head or 

 thorax ; and a very few, like the Ateuchus Eyyptiorum, 

 are more or less glossed with metallic green. In Copris, 

 however, the clypeus, although slightly emarginate or 

 notched in front, has the margin otherwise undivided : 

 but in Onthophagus it is almost always entire, and even 

 sometimes pointed, as in the weU-known O. 2\mrns, — 

 a species which is a rare example in this country of this 

 genus possessing well-defined horns upon the head. 



(198.) The tarsi of this family are very remark- 

 able ; and although little, if any, attention has yet been 

 paid to these organs among the LameUicornes, we feel 

 persuaded they will furnish some of the strongest 

 characters for indicating natural groups. We have al- 

 ready described the hinder tarsus of the typical genus, 

 Scarahceus ; and this will also suffice for that of Copris; 

 but the anterior tarsi of the former are obsolete, while 

 those of the latter, although small, are sufficiently 

 obvious : there is scarcely one natural group, in short, 

 which does not present some modification of the joints, 

 either in shape or proportion, by which such group 

 could be characterised. We do not mean to intimate, 

 by this, an approval of the tarsal system, as it is over- 

 strained by some entomologists ; still less that these 

 characters should take precedence, in all cases, of others. 

 But, as the organs of prehension or of motion are con- 

 fessedly among those of paramount importance among 

 vertebrate animals, so do we conceive they may be, 

 from the nature of the case, equally so in the annidose 

 groups ; and experience has confirmed this supposition. 

 There requires no examination or dissection of the 

 organs of manducation, to determine the two great divi- 

 sions of the typical lamellicorn beetles ; their feet at 

 once determines the point to the most inexperienced 



