LAMEIAICORN DtTNG-REETLES. 81 
in which to bury it. Mr. Riley informs me that the common notion 
that the egg is rolled up in the center of this ball is an erroneous one, 
and that the egg is in reality deposited in a cavity at one side, made 
for the purpose after the ball is sunk. The young feed upon the half 
decomposed matter of which the ball is composed. The species are 
generally black, but some have rich metallic hues. The Copris (Pha- 
nwus) carnifex, with its tints of burnished copper and green, is one of 
our richest insects. 
A. Middle and hind tibia? slender. Size medium ; color black Canthon, 17 sp. 
A A. Middle and hind tibia? enlarged at the end. 
B. Labial palpi 3-jointcd. 
C. Anterior coxa? strongly tranverse and depressed. Size small ; color brown Chceridium, 3. 
C G. Anterior coxa? large, conical and prominent. Size lfirge or medium ; color black or metallic: 
Copris, 10. 
B B. Labial palpi 2-jointed. Anterior coxa? large and conical ; size small ; color black: 
Onthophaous, 10. 
Family XXVII. APHODIIDiE. 
These are small beetles found in great abundance in the fresh ma- 
nure of horses and cows, into which they burrow almost as soon as 
dropped from the animals. They never much exceed a quarter of an 
inch in length, and are usually black, but sometimes with red or brown 
elytra. Nearly a hundred N. A. species have been described, and divi- 
ded into a number of sub-genera, but they may all be included in the 
genus Aphodius of Uliger. 
[Fig. 35 . j The following are among our most common species : The 
A. fimetarius , Fab., nearly three-tenths of an inch long; head 
and thorax shining black, and elytra red ; the A. oblongus, 
Say, is equally long, rather more slender, and wholly black; 
the A. terminalis is less than two-tentlis of an inch long, black 
with the tip of the elytra and legs reddish ; the A. serval, 
Say, is of the same size, black, with the elytra dirty white, 
with three sub-quadrate black spots and a lateral double or 
Athomub:~1, 7 1 . , 
ii»etie ; s, an- triple irregular interrupted black stripe on each. 
Westwood. 
Family XXVTII. GEOTRUPID.E. 
These are distinguished from the two preceding families by their ro- 
bust horny mandibles which project visibly beyond the upper lip. Their 
average size is above medium, but the liolboceri fall considerably below 
it. The (ieotrupes (more correctly spelled Geotrypes) are very common 
insects, found under cow-dung in pastures, often burrowing into the 
ground beneath. 
—II 
