SCARABS I DiE. 



169 



insects — the Thalerophaga of MacLeay — are of brilliant and lively- 

 colours ; while those which feed upon decaying- substances — the 

 Saprophaga of the same author — are dusky or black, sometimes 

 with a metallic tinge. The following are the indigenous families, 

 which may be known by these concise characters, abridged from 

 those in the Horse Entomological : 



fproccssubus 



membranaceis. | 



Maiidihidcc -! 



fporrectse, corneas: 26. CrEOTRUPiDiE. 



("validi; tibiae 



lata?. I 



Maxillae - 



Pedes -! 



Lmem- 

 branaceae 

 Palpi -{ 



fhirti: 25. Scarab^idv'E. 



I^corneaj. Labrnm 



Lglabri: 2?. Aphodiid^e. 

 distinctum: 28. Trogidje. 



{. clypeooccultum: 29. Dr 



Lgraciles; tibice sub- C corneas : 

 angustae. Maxillce < 



( processubus membranaceis : 



NASTID.*. 



30. MELOLONTHIDiE. 



31. Cetoniad-s:. 



Family XXV.— SCARAB^EIDiE, MacLeay. 



Antenna nine-jointed, the basal joint elongate, cylindric, somewhat attenuated 

 in the middle, the capitulum large triphyllous. Lahrum concealed beneath 

 the clypeus: mandibles membranaceous, hidden, elongate-lanceolate: maxillas 

 cnistaceous, with membranaceous processes : palpi, maxillary subflliform., 

 naked; labial very pilose, the articulations somewhat dilated: head some- 

 what semicircular, frequently dentate, or horned on the clypeus: thorax 

 transverse : scutellum concealed : breast large : body orbiculate-ovate, convex 

 or depressed ; not wholly covered by the elytra : legs stout, intermediate- 

 ovate, distant at the base ; posterior placed far behind : tibice broad, externally 

 dentate : tarsi, especially the anterior, small : claws minute. 



The Scarabseidse may be distinguished from the Geotrupidse 

 and Aphodiidse by their concealed elytra, lanceolate mandibles, 

 and large pectus : they are also remarkable from having the 

 posterior legs placed very far behind, a structure admirably cal- 

 culated for their peculiar habits of depositing their eggs in little 

 masses of dung, which they roll into balls : they are all copro- 



n 2 



