Sub-Family I.-SCARABÆIDAE LAPAROSTICTI.

Besides the characters given by the position of the abdominal spiracles in the membrane connecting the ventral and dorsal segments, and the ligula separate from the mentum, these insects, or at least a portion of them, exhibit characters not found in the other families.

In many of them the upper surface of the head is much dilated on the front and sides (but never reflexed, as in most Melolonthida); the clypeal suture is distinct, and ascends towards the vertex, forming an angle; the mandibles are usually thin plates, frequently membranous, small, and invisible, except on dissection; sometimes, however (Geotrupes, &c.), they are well developed. In some of the genera the antennæ are 11-jointed. The club of the antennæ consists of but three joints, except in Pleocoma, and in some the first joint of the club is hollowed out so as to receive the second or even the last joint. The tarsi are armed with simple claws in all of our genera, except Phanæus, where the claws are wanting; in some genera of Coprini the anterior tarsi are wanting. The usual bisetose onychium is wanting in Acanthocerini, Trogini, Aphodiini, and some Coprini.

The arrangement of this sub-family is adopted nearly as in Lacordaire's work, with the exception of the removal of the tribe Glaphyrini to the next sub-family, and the establishment of two new tribes.

The species all live on decomposing animal matter, and most of them in excrements.

The tribes are as follows:-
:-

Abdomen with six visible ventral segments;

Antennæ 9- or 10-jointed (club always 3-jointed);

Posterior tibiæ with a single spur.

Posterior tibiæ with two spurs ;

Side pieces of metathorax simple;

Antennæ 9-jointed.

Antennæ 10-jointed.

Epimera of metathorax visible.

Antennæ 11-jointed;

COPRINI.

APHODIINI.

ORPHNINI.

HYBOSORINI.

Club 3-jointed, mandibles and labrum prominent.
Club many-leaved, mandibles and labrum small.

GEOTRUPINI.

Abdomen with five visible ventral segments;

Epimera of mesothorax attaining the oblique coxæ;

PLEOCOMINI.

These insects are of rounded form, and live almost exclusively in excrements. The clypeus is expanded so as to cover entirely the oral organs; the lobes of the maxillæ are large, ciliated, and of a membranous or coriaceous structure; mandibles lamelliform, principally membranous, with only the outer margin corneous; the mentum is emarginate; antennæ 8- or 9-jointed, club 3-jointed; epimera of metathorax covered; mesosternum very short; middle coxæ oblique, widely separated; posterior tibiæ with a single terminal spur; tarsi usually without the bisetose onychium; elytra subtruncate, leaving the pygidium exposed; ventral segments six, all connate.

It is in this tribe alone that species occur in which the anterior tarsi are wanting in the females, or in both sexes; the claws of the tarsi are also sometimes wanting. Organs of stridulation are found on the dorsal surface of the abdomen of certain species.

According to the form of the posterior tibiæ, two sub-tribes are indicated:

Middle and posterior tibiæ slender, scarcely enlarged.
Middle and posterior tibiæ dilated at the extremity.

Sub-Tribe 1.-Ateuchini.

ATEUCHINI.

COPRINI!

These species deposit their eggs in balls which they construct of the materials on which they live, and roll these balls to a considerable distance, a labor for which their long, slender, and slightly curved posterior tibiæ fit them. The head and thorax never bear horns, and the sexes are alike in appearance, except in Deltachilum gibbosum, where the elytra of the male are each armed with a large dorsal tubercle. The anterior coxæ are slightly prominent internally. The onychium between the claws is wanting.

Our genera are but two in number, and each represents a separate group of this sub-tribe; the groups of genuine Ateuchi and Minthophili not occurring in our fauna.

Epipleuræ of the elytra narrow, or wanting; anterior tarsi distinct. Group I. GYMNOPLEURI.

Epipleuræ distinct, narrow; scutellum none. Epipleuræ of the elytra wide; anterior tarsi wanting.

CANTHON,

Group II. DELTOCHILA.
DELTOCHILUM.

Anterior tibiæ not prolonged at the extremity.

Sub-Tribe 2.-Coprini (genuini).

The gradually thickened middle and hind tibiæ unfit these insects for transporting the balls of material which serve for the food of the larvæ; though some of the species do construct balls, they bury them in the place where they are formed. The sexual differences are frequently strongly marked, the male having horns on the head or thorax. The epipleuræ are always narrow, and the first joint of the tarsi is elongated. The anterior tarsi are wanting in some species of Phanæus, and the claws are all wanting in the same genus.

The following groups are represented in our fauna :-
:-

Third joint of labial palpi distinct;

Anterior coxæ very transverse, not prominent.

Anterior coxæ short, prominent;

Labial palpi dilated.

Labial palpi subfiliform.

Third joint of labial palpi obsolete.

Group I.-Scatonomi.

SCATONOMI.

COPRES.

ONITES.

ONTHOPHAGI.

Our only representative of this group is Choridium capistratum, a moderately small, convex, shining, bronzed black insect, resembling a Histeride, with finely striate elytra, found in dung. The 3-jointed labial palpi, and the transverse, not prominent, anterior coxæ, readily distinguish it from the other groups. The claws are small, without onychium, but the tip of the last joint of the tarsi is prolonged beneath into an obtuse process one-half as long as the claws.

Group II.-Copres.

The labial palpi are 3-jointed, broad, and compressed; the anterior coxæ are conical, large, and prominent. The last joint of the tarsi has no onychium, and in one genus the claws are wanting; in Copris the claws are small, and the inferior portion of the joint is prolonged into a process as long as the claws. The anterior tarsi are wanting in certain foreign Phanæus; and in one genus, Dendropæmon, from Brazil, the tarsi have only two joints.

Our genera are but two; neither is represented on the Pacific

coast.

First joint of antennal club not receiving the others; metasternum rectangular; claws distinct. COPRIS. First joint of antennal club hollowed, receiving the others; metasternum rhomboidal; claws wanting. PHANEUS.

In both of these genera sexual characters are usually obvious in tubercles and horns on the head and thorax. The species of Phanæus are brilliantly colored, and P. carnifex, with its rough copper-colored thorax and green elytra, is familiar to every collector.

Group III.-Onites.

Onitis Nicanor Fabr., a very rare insect of the Southern States, alone represents this group in our fauna.

The anterior coxæ are large, conical, and prominent; the labial palpi are 3-jointed, and nearly filiform; the claws are distinct, the onychium small, and the inferior part of the last joint of the tarsi is not prolonged.

The genus Onitis is distinguished by the scutellum being small, but distinct; it resembles in form a large Onthophagus.

Group IV.-Onthophagi.

Several small species of Onthophagus from the Atlantic slope represent this group.

The anterior coxæ are large, conical, and protuberant; the labial palpi are but 2-jointed, the third joint being obsolete; the tarsal claws are distinct, and the onychium is long, with the two usual setæ.

In some of the species the head or thorax of the males is armed with horns.

The genus is known by the antennæ having but nine joints, and by the scutellum not being visible.

Tribe II.-APHODIINI.

Species of small size, and oblong, convex, or cylindrical form, living chiefly in excrements. The clypeus, as in Coprini, is dilated so as to cover the oral organs, but in one genus, Ægialia, they are visible beyond the apex of the clypeus; the maxillæ and mandibles are variable in form; antennæ 9-jointed, club 3-jointed; epimera

of metathorax covered; middle coxæ oblique, contiguous in our genera; posterior tibiæ with two spurs; elytra covering the pygidium entirely or in part; ventral segments six, all free; tarsi with distinct claws and small bisetose onychium.

The sexual differences are usually none; in a few species the head, and more rarely the thorax, of the male are marked with one or more small tubercles. Our genera are as follows:

Mandibles and labrum concealed;

Lobes of the maxillæ membranous or coriaceous, unarmed;
Upper part of the eyes visible in repose.
Upper part of the eyes invisible in repose;

Posterior tibiæ prolonged externally into a spine.
External lobe of the maxillæ corneous, hooked.
Mandibles and labrum visible beyond the clypeus.

APHODIUS.

EUPARIA.

PSAMMODIUS.

EGIALIA.

Euparia embraces many species, of which Eu. castanea inhabits ants' nests in the Southern States. Psammodius is recognized by the transverse grooves of the thorax, and Ægialia by the thick convex body; the species of the last-named genus are found near the ocean or large lakes.

Several species of Aphodius have been introduced from Europe, but are now entirely naturalized, especially in the northern parts of the country; e. g. A. fossor, fimetarius.

Tribe III.-ORPHNINI.

Oval, convex species, of brown color, covered above with short erect hair; the elytra are striate; the mandibles and labrum are corneous, not covered by the clypeus, which is not dilated as in the two preceding tribes; antennæ 10-jointed, club 3-jointed, somewhat rounded; anterior coxæ prominent; middle coxæ oblique, contiguous; epimera of the metathorax covered; ventral segments six, not connate; tarsi with a small setigerous onychium.

The species in our fauna are three, belonging to Ochodæus. They are found from the Mississippi westward to Arizona, and are very rare. Ochodæus is distinguished from the other genera of the tribe by the eyes being not emarginate. The habits are unknown.

Tribe IV.-HYBOSORINI.

A single species of Hybosorus found in the Southern States, identical with the European H. arator, and probably imported,