APHODIIDiE. APHOD1US. 187 



of them subsist upon putrescent vegetable matter : the indigenous 

 species have been divided into the two following genera : — 



{filiforme, baud dilatato : . 196. Aphodius. 



dilatator . . . 197- Psammodius. 



Genus CXCVI. — Aphodius, Illiger. 



Antennas with the basal joint slightly elongate, robust, cylindric; the second 

 globose ; third small ; the three following transverse ; the remainder forming 

 a triphyllous, subglobose-ovate, capitulum. Palpi, maxillary filiform, naked, 

 the terminal joint longer than the third, cylindric; labial very short, slightly 

 pilose, the joints nearly equal, the terminal one not dilated : labium emar- 

 ginate at the apex : head broad, with a semicircular or lunate clypeus, fre- 

 quently tuber culate : body oblong, convex, or slightly depressed. 



The genus Aphodius comprises a vast host of species, of which 

 a considerable number inhabit Britain ; their habits are nearly- 

 similar, living in dung, and flying during the sunshine in roads, 

 meadows, &c, where their pabulum is to be obtained; the larvae 

 resemble in form that of an Oryctes or Melolontha (cockchafer), 

 and feed like the imago upon dung. From the extent of the 

 genus, I have divided it into the following sections, for the sake of 

 more readily ascertaining the species, many of which are extremely 

 variable, and difficult to determine with certainty, without great 

 trouble. 



A. Scutellum very large, elongated, 

 a. With the body convex. 



Sp. 1. Fossor. Ater, clypeo tuberculis tribus, medio subcornuto, elytris lev iter 

 punctato-striatis, thorace subretuso. (Long. corp. 4 — 6 lin.) 



Sc. Fossor. Linne. — Don. xii. pi. H7.f. 3.— Ap. Fossor. Steph. Catal. 108. 

 No. 1115. 



Very convex, entirely of a deep glossy-black ; glabrous ; clypeus emarginate, 

 with three tubercles, the middle one elongate, acute; thorax anteriorly im- 

 pressed in the middle, the sides sparingly punctate: elytra rather faintly 

 punctate-striate, the interstices very smooth. Female with the tubercles on 

 the clypeus nearly obsolete ; the disc of the thorax punctate throughout ; with 

 the anterior impressions nearly obsolete. 



Variable in size, and some examples are more obscure than others. 



Very common throughout the metropolitan district, especially in 

 horse-dung. " Bottisham." — Rev. L. Jenyns. " York and New- 



