ORDER COLEOPTERA. 451 



obliquely, and terminating in a single spur, robust, in the 

 form of a spine or point ; in fine, those in which the hood is 

 always more or less lobate, or denticulated, form the genus 



Ateuchus of M. Weber and of Fabricius ; 



But, since, restrained to the species in which the elytra have 

 the external edge straight, or without emargination or sinus 

 near their base, and leaving uncovered the corresponding 

 portion of the upper edges of the abdomen. The legs and 

 the tarsi of the last four feet are furnished with long hairs. 

 The first four articulations of the tarsi are generally longer 

 than in the others. The first of the labials is almost cylin- 

 drical, or in an inverted cone. The hood is most frequently 

 divided into three lobes or festoons, and its contour presents 

 six teeth. 



These insects, which Mr. W. Macleay, in a work full of 

 research and ingenious views, entitled HorcB Entomologicce, 

 (1st Vol. 1st part, p. 184) designates under the generic name 

 of Scarabcsiis, as being that which they originally received 

 from the Latins, and of which he has given in the same work 

 an excellent monograph, enclose their eggs in a ball of dung, 

 and even of human excrements, similar to large pills, from 

 which circumstance they have been named by some writers 

 Pilularice. They roll them with their hind feet, and often 

 in company, until they have found holes proper to receive 

 them, or places where they can bury them. 



Two species of Ateuchus formed a part of the religious wor- 

 ship of the ancient Egyptians, and of their hieroglyphic writ- 

 ing. They are to be retraced in all their monuments, and under 

 divers positions, and often depicted of gigantic dimensions. 

 They have also represented them separately, employing even 

 the most precious substances for that purpose, such as gold. 

 They formed of them seals, and amulets suspended to the 



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