1000 



FAMILY L. — SCARAB/EID/E. 



1862 (5929). Ceemastochiltjs canaliculars Kirby, Zool. Journ., Ill, 



151. 



Elongate-oblong. Black, feebly shining. Mentuin plate deeply con- 

 cave, its hind margin widely reflexed and with a deep, wide notch. Thorax 

 one-third wider than long, sides moderately curved; front angles obtuse, 

 feebly prominent, limited on their inner side by a deep fovea, punctured 

 and continuous with the disk; hind angles triangular, nearly smooth, tips 

 slightly turned outward, limited within by a moderately deep groove, but 

 not depressed below the surface of the disk ; disk slightly convex, coarsely 

 and densely punctured. Elytra flattened on the disk, vaguely grooved and 

 with rather dense, oval, shallow punctures. Length 11-12.5 mm. 



Vigo, Putnam, Monroe and Crawford coun- 

 ties ; scarce. May 10-May 17. Of the ten speci- 

 mens at hand, nine were found in ants' nests be- 

 v neath logs or flat stones, all singly but two. Al- 

 though taken in six different years, they were all 

 collected between the two dates above mentioned. 

 On this and most other species there are pubes- 

 cent depressed spaces near the front angles and 

 beneath or near the hind ones which are sup- 

 Fig. 417. Ant sucking at posed to be glandular and to excrete a liquid 

 glands (M^Zf US ' very palatable and attractive to the ants, with 

 which they are found in company. LeConte records* several in- 

 stances in which specimens have had the projecting portions of the 

 hind angles fall off on account of the continual gnawing or sucking 

 of the ants at the glands. (Fig. 417.) The beetles are sluggish in- 

 sects which feign death when touched, and seem to be held in cap- 

 tivity by the ants, which pull them back into the vicinity of the 

 nests whenever they attempt to escape. 



1863 (5931). Ceemastoghilus castane^e Knoch., Neue Beitr., 1801, 115. 

 Oblong. Piceous, feebly shining. Mentum plate 



deeply cupped, the margin widely reflexed except in 

 front, and with a rather deep U-shaped notch behind. 

 Thorax nearly twice as wide as long, sides moderately 

 curved ; front angles in the form of tubercles, limited 

 on the inner side by the usual deep fovea and behind 

 by an impressed line; hind angles triangular, punc- 

 tured at base, separated completely from the surface 

 of the disk by a deep impression, their tips turned out- 

 ward; disk moderately convex, coarsely and closely 

 punctured; median line sometimes feebly impressed. 

 Elytra moderately flat, with rather sparse, shallow, 

 oval impressions; those on the sides, as usual in the 

 other species, smaller, rounded and deeper. Pygidium very coarsely punc- 

 tured. Length 9.5-10 mm. (Fig. 418.) 



Fig. 418. X 3. 

 (After Wheeler.) 



*Entom. Arner., I, 



