THE LAJIELLICORX BEETLES. 927 



eiuarginate. u distinct angulation or small denticle each side, its surface 

 roughly punctured or subgranulate ; vertex densely punctured. Thorax not 

 quite t^'ice as wide as loug, slightly narrower behind, hind angles broadly 

 rounded, surface densely and rather coarsely punctured. Elytra as wide 

 as thorax, the strise rather deep and coarsely crenate-punctate ; intervals 

 nearly flat, each with one or two rows of fine but distinct punctures. Length 

 3.5-^ mm. 



Xorthern half of State, frequent; not taken south of Marion 

 County. May .5-Xovember 28. 



1749 (10,18.5). At^nius inops Horn, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc, XIV, 1887, 73. 

 Rather elongate, parallel, feebly convex. Reddish-brown, shining ; head 

 and thorax a little darker than elytra. Clypeus broadly and feebly emargi- 

 nate, with a small acute tooth each side of the notch; the entire front 

 granulate. Thorax one and a half times as wide as long, sides regularly 

 curved, hind angles broadly rounded, punctuation' as given in key. Elytra 

 as wide as thorax, striai indistinctly punctured; intervals convex, crenate 

 on their inner edge and each with a row of minute punctures on the outer 

 side. Mesosternum opaque, finely strigose-punctate, carlnate between the 

 coxje. length 3.5^ mm. 



IMarion County; rare. November 28. Described from Arizona 

 and Texas. 



Dialytes sfriatulus Say, elj-tral intervals strongly elevated, 

 color piceous-brovtm, antenna- paler, length 4.-5 mm., ranges from 

 New England to Illinois and has been taken near Cincinnati. 



X. ^Vphodius Iliiger. 1798. (Gr., "excrement + way. ") 



The species of this genus bear a close resemblance to those of 

 Atmnius, but are usualh' broader, stouter and variegated with black 

 and dull red or yellow. They are separated from Atcenius by hav- 

 ing the outer apical angle of the hind tibife obtuse. In mounting 

 specimens of the entire tribe of Aphodiini care should be taken to 

 stretch out the hind legs so that they may be easily examined. The 

 kno^^^^ species of North American Aphodius number more than 80, 

 and are among our most numerous scavengers. Tliey occur in great 

 abundance in the dung of horses and cows, into which they burrow 

 almost as soon as dropped from the animals. None of them con- 

 struct balls for transportation, and the larvae go through their 

 changes on the spot. On the first warm days of early spring they 

 are on the wing )iy myriads along every roadside and in and about 

 barnyards, and tbous.mds meet their death abottt the electrir- lights 

 of cities. Seventeen species have been taken in the State and three 

 others perhaps occur. 



[59—23402] 



