90 R. W. Dmvson 



SYNOPSIS OF THE SPECIES 



1. Body above shining, more or less metallic; elytra distinctly 

 striate 2 



Body above opaque, black; elytra not striate, but with roM^s of 

 punctures opacus 



2. Striae of elytra without punctures; head without tubercles; 

 basal marginal line of pronotum more or less incomplete 

 medially semiopacus 



Striae of elytra punctured; head with a median tubercle; basal 

 marginal line of pronotum entire splendidus 



Geotrupes opacus Haldeman. 



1853. Geotrupes opacus Haldeman, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., p. 

 362. 



Specimens examined : 16 5 , 26 9 , from Omaha, Ashland, 

 Lincoln, West Point, Holt Co., Halsey and Haigler. 



Geotrupes semiopacus Jekel. 



1865. Geotrupes semiopamis Jekel, Ann. Soc. Ent. France, (4) v, 

 p. 612. 



Specimens examined : 1 $ , collected at Omaha in Sep- 

 tember, 1888. 



Geotrupes splendidus Fabricius. 



1775. Scarabaeus splendidus Fabricius, Systema Entomologiae, p. 

 18. 



Specimens examined: 15s, 19?, from Maskell, Omaha, 

 Weeping Water, Nebraska City, Lincoln and West Point. 



The following note on the habits of this species seems 

 worthy of record. During the month of June, 1905, while the 

 writer was spading in his home garden he had occasion to 

 remove a quantity of lawn clippings that had been piled on a 

 bare spot of ground several weeks previously. In turning up 

 the soil that had been covered by the clippings a rather large 

 and neatly formed pod of dead grass was discovered, and 

 along with it a female splendidus. Careful examination dis- 

 closed a branched tunnel with four additional food pods. One 

 of the pods was preserved, and is before me at the present 



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