PLATE XXXV.

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ONITIS SULCATUS.

Plate XXXV. fig. 1.

Order. Coleoptera. Section: Lamellicornes. Family: ScarabÆidÆ.

Genus. Onitis, Fabr. ScarabÆus, Linn.

Onitis Sulcatus. Ater, capitis tuberculo unico, elytris striatis, thorace anticÈ lineÀ irregulari dorsali impresso. (Long. Corp. 1 unc.)

Syn. ScarabÆus Sulcatus, Drury, App. vol. 2.

Onitis Nicanor, Fabr. Syst. Eleuth. 1. p. 29. Tabl. Col. 2. t. 15. f. 8.

Habitat: Jamaica.

Head broad and thin, hairy underneath; terminating in a short straight horn, inclining backwards, with a small tubercle on each side. Eyes almost surrounded by the thin sides of the head, being placed so as to see both above and below it. Thorax margined, with several protuberances on its front; and on the top with a strong indented line running from the front to the suture of the elytra, where likewise its margin is interrupted by two smaller impressions, forming an appearance like a square escutcheon. Elytra as long as the thorax, margined, and deeply furrowed, scarcely reaching to the anus. General colour above black or raven grey, but not shining. Thighs very strong, black, and broad. Anterior tibiÆ strong, with three teeth and a spine. Tarsi and ungues very small. Middle and hinder tibiÆ small at the base, but broad and thick with strong spines at the tips. Scutellum obsolete.

COPRIS CAROLINA.

Plate XXXV. fig. 2.

Order: Coleoptera. Section: Lamellicornes. Family: ScarabÆidÆ.

Genus. Copris, Geoffroy. ScarabÆus, Linn.

Copris Carolina. Thorace retuso binodi, capitis cornu erecto brevissimo, clypeo integro, elytris sulcatis. (Long. Corp. circ. 1 unc.)

Syn. ScarabÆus Carolinus, Linn. Syst. Nat. 1. 11. 545. No. 16. Fabr. Syst. Eleuth. 1. p. 43. No. 60. (Copris C.) Oliv. Ent. 1. 3. p. 134. No. 160. t. 12. f. 113. De Geer Ins. 4. p. 310. t. 18. f. 13. Pal. Beauv. Ins. d'Amer. et d'Afr. Col. pl. 3. a. f. 7.

Habitat: Maryland, New York.

Head broad and thin, not hairy underneath. Near the front is a thick tubercle (not rising to an horn, as in Fig. I.) projecting forward, being in some specimens (probably females) very small. Thorax margined, lying very high above the head, having protuberances in front, which in some are very faint, and with a small impression on each side near the margin on the lower part. Elytra longer than the thorax, margined and furrowed, (but not so deeply as in Fig. I.), and reaching to the anus. General colour deep black, and shining like pitch, both on the upper and under sides. Thighs very strong, not hairy. The anterior tibiÆ strong, with four teeth, and a strong spine to each. The tarsi and ungues very small. The other tibiÆ are like those in the preceding figure. Scutellum obsolete.

PHANÆUS CARNIFEX.

Plate XXXV. fig. 3. 4. ?.—5. ?.

Order: Coleoptera. Section: Lamellicornes. Family: ScarabÆidÆ.

Genus. PhanÆus, MacLeay. Copris, Fabr. ScarabÆus, Linn.

PhanÆus Carnifex. Thorace mutico angulato postice igneo-cupreo, capitis cornu longo reflexo, corpore Æneo. (Long. Corp. {8}-{10½} lin.)

Syn. ScarabÆus Carnifex, Linn. Syst. Nat. 1. 11. p. 546. No. 22. Fab. Syst. Eleuth. 1. 48. 84. Oliv. Ent. 1. 3. p. 135. No. 161. t. 6. f. 46. a. b. t. 10. f. 86. var. ?. Brown Jamaica, 428. t. 43. f. 5. Pal. Beauv. Ins. d'Afr. et d'Amer. Col. pl. 3. a. f. 8. 9. MacLeay HorÆ Entomol. vol. 1. PhanÆus C.

ScarabÆus Pillularius Americanus, Catesby Carolina, 3. p. 11. tab. 11.

Habitat: New York, Maryland, Virginia, Carolina, &c.

There is no doubt that all these figures belong to one species; though differing, not only in size, but structure. AntennÆ light red brown. Head thin, rounded, margined, and of a green golden colour; some (which are evidently males) being furnished with a smooth, round, black horn, almost as long as the thorax, and inclining backwards; others have only a small tubercle in the place of the horn; and others have a small horn, about one-fourth the length of the first mentioned, as in Fig. IV. Thorax next the head golden green; behind and on the upper part is golden red, and margined, rough and shagreened. In the horned specimens this part terminates on each side the posterior margin in a projecting angle, which is more or less conspicuous, in proportion as the horn is long or short. Those which are quite hornless, as Fig. V., are entirely destitute of these angulated risings, having the thorax rounded, but in its front a small black protuberance or swelling is seen. Elytra golden green, inclining to a blue, and very much channelled, with small striÆ placed between others of larger size, extending almost even with the anus. Abdomen black, the sides shining green. Anterior femora and tibiÆ black and hairy; the latter very strong and dentated, having a long moveable spine fixed on the inner edge of each, extending somewhat beyond the tarsi, which are very short and small. Intermediate and posterior thighs shining golden green, broad and strong. TibiÆ black, with two spines (one very long) at the tips. Tarsi five-jointed, ungues single, and not divided as most insects have them. Scutellum obsolete.

COPRIS MINUTUS.

Plate XXXV. fig. 6.

Order: Coleoptera. Section: Lamellicornes. Family: ScarabÆidÆ, MacLeay.

Genus. Copris, Geoffroy. ScarabÆus, Drury.

Copris Minutus. Niger, capitis cornu parvo erecto, thorace anticÈ elevato et tuberculato, elytris striatis. (Long. Corp. 4½ lin.)

Syn. ScarabÆus Minutus. Drury, App. vol. 2.

Copris LÆvis. Schonh. Syn. 1. 54. 126. (Nec LÆvis, Drury, tab. 35. f. 7. sec. cit. Sch.)

Habitat: New York.

Entirely black. Head broad and black, extending on each side beyond the eyes, having a small horn on it projecting forwards. Thorax margined, high and prominent, with some small protuberances on its front. Scutellum obsolete. Elytra furrowed, longer than the thorax, and margined; extending beyond the anus. Femora strong and round. TibiÆ small at the base, thickened towards the tips, and armed with spines.

COPROBIUS LÆVIS.

Plate XXXV. fig. 7.

Order: Coleoptera. Section: Lamellicornes. Family: ScarabÆidÆ, MacLeay.

Genus. Coprobius, Latr. Ateuchus, Fabr. ScarabÆus p. Linn.

Coprobius LÆvis. Niger opacus lÆvis, clypeo emarginato, thorace postice rotundato, elytrorum lateribus humeralibus haud incisis. (Long. Corp. 9 lin.)

Syn. ScarabÆus LÆvis, Drury, App. vol. 2. (1773.) Oliv. Ent. 1. 3. p. 160. No. 197. t. 10. f. 89.

ScarabÆus Volvens, Fabr. Ent. Syst. 1. p. 66. No. 221. Syst. Eleuth. 1. p. 60. No. 26. (Ateuchus v.) (Exclus. syn. Scar. pilularius, Linn.) Schon. Syn. Ins. 1. 1. p. 62.

Habitat: New York, Maryland.

Entirely black, shining like pitch on the under side. Head broad, flattish, and smooth. Thorax margined, smooth, and convex. Scutellum obsolete. Elytra margined, smooth, not reaching to the anus, and rather longer than the thorax. Anterior tibiÆ having three teeth on their outer sides, above which are several very minute ones. Intermediate and posterior thighs and tibiÆ smaller than are usually observed among those lamellicorn beetles which have no scutellum.

The advantages resulting from the modern method of investigation adopted in Natural History in general, and especially in Entomology, are no where more conspicuous than in the case of the present species of dung-rolling beetles or pillularii, as they were aptly termed by Pliny and other old writers; the present species inhabiting North America, having been long confounded with an inhabitant of Southern Europe, which indeed possesses a similarity in general appearance and habits, but belongs to a distinct genus. LinnÆus applied the term pilularius specifically to the species inhabiting Italy and Spain; referring, however, to Catesby's Carolina, pl. 11., so that it is evident that this writer had never seen the North American insect. Schonher however remarks, "scarabÆus pillularius Linn. pertinet ad At. volvens Fabr;"[28] whilst Fabricius, although quoting Drury and De Geer (who both figure the North American species) has increased the confusion by giving Southern Europe as its habitat. Under these circumstances I have done our author the justice to revert to his specific name; his being certainly the earliest systematic specific reference to the American species, which may be distinguished from the European one by the following particulars:—

Genus. Coprobius, Latreille.

(Elytra entire at the sides; intermediate tibiÆ with two spurs.)

Coprobius lÆvis, Drury. (Scarab.) volvens, Fabr.

Habitat. North America.

Genus. Gymnopleurus, Illiger.

(Elytra with a deep lateral notch near the shoulders; intermediate tibiÆ with one spur.)

Gymnopleurus pilularius, Linn. (Scarab.) Fabr. Oliv.

Habitat. Southern Europe.

ONITIS SPINIPES.

Plate XXXV. fig. 8.

Order: Coleoptera. Section: Lamellicornes. Family: ScarabÆidÆ, MacLeay.

Genus. Onitis, Fabr. ScarabÆus, Linn. Drury.

Onitis Spinipes. Exscutellatus niger opacus, capite subcornuto, pedibus intermediis dilatatis et incisis. (Long. Corp. fere 1 unc.)

Syn. ScarabÆus Spinipes, Drury, App. vol. 2. (1773).

ScarabÆus Sphinx, Fabr. Ent. Syst. p. 25. No. 98. (1775.) Syst. Eleuth. 1. p. 29. 9. (Onitis Sp.) Schonh. Syn. Ins. 1. p. 31. 10.

Habitat: China.

Entirely black. Head margined and rough, having two small protuberances entirely surrounding the eyes. Palpi rather long. Thorax convex, smooth, and margined, being as long as the elytra, and having on each side near the lateral margin a small impression. On the posterior margin next the suture are two more impressions, and a longer one between them. Scutellum obsolete. Elytra furrowed, and extending to the anus, having a double margin on the sides. Anterior tibiÆ as long as the thorax, and remarkable for not having any tarsi, but being bent inwards at their extremities and dentated on their outer sides. Middle femora very broad and flat. TibiÆ short, very narrow, and small at their base, but broad at the tips. Hinder thighs and tibiÆ not so broad as the middle ones. Tarsi five-jointed.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

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