COLEOPTERA. 523 



with a leaf-like cUib ; four posterior tibiEC, slender, elongate, not thickened at the tip, tnmcated obliquely and ter- 

 minated by a sinf^le spur, and with the outer margin of the elytra not siniiated near the base ; the clypeus i.s gene- 

 r;il!y divided into three lobes, its edge presenting six teeth. 



These insects (which Mr. Mac Leay has described in bis excellent Ilor,/' Enfomohiq/ctc) inclose their eggs in balls 

 of (lung, or even of human excrement, like large pills, (whence tliey have licen called PUulaii'i,) which they rull 

 along with their hind feet (often in company), until they reach the hole in which they are to be deposited. Two of the 

 siircies were worshipped by the ancient Egyptians, and introduced into their hieroglyphical writings. Their 

 elligy is represented on all their monuments, models of them were made of the most precious materials, and 

 formed Into amulets, &c., suspended round the neck, and which were buried \\\i\\ the niammies. The insect itself 

 has been found in some of their cotlins. 



■SVflJvrftccHi' A'accr, Linn., found not only in the whole of Egypt, but in the south of Fi"ance, Spain, and other 

 southern parts of Europe, has until lately been regarded as the object of this superstition ; but another species, dis- 

 covered in Sennari by M. Cadlaud, appears, from its more brilliant colours, and the country where it is found, 

 and which was the first residence of the Egyptians, to have attracted their earliest attention. I have named it 



AieucJiitf! j^ijyptiorum. (See my Memoir on the Insects painteil and sculptured 

 ^1^/' }f) by the Egyptians, and the Works of Champollion.) — Some Ateuchi, having tlie 



i jjv^iialV \^J thorax and abdomen shorter, more rounded, and more convex, form the gemis 



jy\\f\ t /V Pachysuma, Kirby, {S. ^::rulapiiis, Oliv. and Hippocrates). [Mnemnduiii^ 



Mac Leay, is closely allied to these. M. liitchU, from the interior of Africa.] 



Gymnopleiirus, lllig., differs in having the outer edge of the elytra strongly 

 notched near the base. The foor posterior tibi.'e are very slightly spined. A(cu- 

 cJnis simtatusj pilidarius, &c. 



Other Coprophagi, closely allied to the preceding, have the middle tibia; (which 

 as well as the posterior are often thickened at the tips) furnished with two spurs. 

 The clypeus has in many species only four or two spines. 



iSisyp/nix, Latr., has only 8-jointed antenna^, and the abdomen triangular, with 

 very long hind legs. At. Sc/urfferi, Eab., and others [described by M. Gory in 

 his Monograph on this genus]. 



Circellium, Latr., has the body hemispherical, the abdomen semicircular, scu- 

 Fif:. 68.- AteuchuH (Sninibteu.-.) tcllum Wanting, and cly|)eus 6 or 4-toothcd. At. Bacchus [Cape of Good Hope]. 



Cuprohhi-s, Latr., is composed of New World species, without a scutellum ; body 

 ovoid, not convex, and the sides of the thorax angular. 



Chasridhtin, Servilleand St. Fargeau, has shorter legs. "We also unite their Ili/homa with Coprobius. 

 E'nyi-it'r/iiis, Dalm. [Aiachrotes, Serv.), possesses a scutellum, with the botly o\al-oblong. 



Onificelliis, Zeigl. (with the body oblong and scutellum distinct), and Onihophayus (without a scutellum, and the 

 body short and broad), are exclusively distinguished by having the third joint of the labial [lalpi scarcely distinct, 

 and the preceding larger than the first. The last-named group is further distinguished by the males having the 

 head and thorax often cornuted. S.tanriif.-.'Lmn. [a very rare British species], the male of which has two long 

 curved horns on the head. [There are several other British species.] All the species are of small size. 



O/i/ti.'i, Fab. (having the second joint of the labial palpi largest, the scutellum distinct, and the fore tibia' of the 

 males long and curved), and P/ian.cna, Mac Leay, (having the first joint of the labial palpi largest, the scutellum 

 replaced by a sutural space, the mairs cornuted, and the legs of equal size in both sexes, and composed of many tine 

 and large exotic specie^,) dilferfroin tliercst in having the second joint of theclubof theantenn<e encased between the 

 two outer joints, and the thorax large. (See the Monograph of this genus by Mac Leay, inthe Hone Enfomohfliuc.) 

 Copris; GeoflV., as now restricted, comprises only such as have the club of the antennae formed of three plates ; 

 the four hind tibiae greatly dilated and truncate at the tip; the scutellum wanting ; the body thick and ditfering 

 m the sexes. The largest species inhabit the tropical parts of Africa and the East Indies. Scarah<eus hinaris, 

 Linn, [is a local British species]. Eight lines long; black and shiny, with an erect horn on the head of the males, 

 [[t is found under dung in sandy places near London.] 



The terminal Coprophagi have the legs inserted at equal distances apart, the scutellum very distinct, and the 

 elvtra covering the abdomen. In other respects they nearly approach the preceding subgenus, but the sexual 

 differences are less strongly marked, consisting only in slight tubercles. They appear at the commencement of 

 sprintr, [hovering over every fresh deposit of animal excrement. This is the family of Aphodiiihe, IMacl.] 



Aphodhis, Iliig., has the inner lobe of the maxillfe not corneous nor dentate, the body is rarely short, and the 

 thorax not transversely strigose. Scar. Jlmetariiis, Linn, [a very common British insect, and many other species]. 

 Psammodius, Gyll., has the inner lobs of the maxilK-e corneous and with two teeth, the body short, and the thorax 

 transversely rugose. 

 Eiipariit, St. Farg. and Serv., also belongs to this section, apparently allied to Eurytternus. 



Psammodius naturallv conducts us to llie follo\Ain;g section, JrenicoU, which, -with Aphodius and 

 rsamraodius, are the only species in ^\hich the elytra entirely cover the ahdomen ; the mandibles are 

 horiiv, exposed, and curved; the terminal lobe of the maxillx is straight, with few exceptions ; the 

 auteniL-c are 10 or 11-jointed. These Beetles also hve in dung, and form deep burrows in the earth ; 

 thcv tlv iihont in the twilight after sunset, and counterfeit death when alarmed. [The Areniculi form 

 two sections, corresponding to the families GeotrvjMtn and Trof/ida, Mac Leay.] 



