78 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [March, 



4485 (Alpine) and 4500 to 5000 (Moss Well) feet. In Oklahoma 

 it has been reported from as low as 1275 feet (Cache), while in 

 Coldl-ado (within its range) it occurs as low as 3460 feet (Julesburg). 



Biological Notes. — Morse has very truthfully and concisely given 

 this species as "characteristic of the coarse grasses of the drier 

 parts of the prairie plains and * * often locally abundant." It 

 is, however, quite at home on hills and slopes, even being con- 

 sidered by Bruner to be partial to hill-tops, while Gillette states 

 it is found both within and without the foothills at Fort Collins. 

 Hart reports it on bunch grass {Panicum virgatum) in blowouts 

 between sand dunes in the Illinois sand areas, while in our ex- 

 perience it occurred in a variety of situations, even within the 

 zone of oaks in the Baboquivari Mountains, Arizona, at 6000 

 feet elevation. The necessary requirement for its presence is a 

 sufficient area of coarse grass, which is as attractive when sun- 

 cured as it is when fresh. It is often taken in company with 

 M. maculipennis macclungi, but is more local and generally less 

 abundant. 



The earliest exact date we have for adults is July 29 (Julesburg), 

 although material taken that month, without exact date, from 

 Little Big Horn River, Montana, and Chisos Mountains, Texas, 

 is now before us. The latest date we have record of is October 6 

 to 9 (Sycamore Canyon, Baboquivari Mountains, Arizona). That 

 the species persists late at relatively northern localities is evident, 

 as we have October material, without exact date, from Hot Springs, 

 South Dakota. Adult material taken at Dallas, Texas, on August 



14 to 16 was accompanied by immature individuals, also adult 

 males and immature females were secured at Marathon, Texas, 

 on August 20, so it is evident that the species does not mature ver\'' 

 much earlier southward than it does northward. Morse, in his 

 work in Texas and Oklahoma, secured no adults before August 



15 (Wichita Falls, Texas), although he had taken immature material 

 on August 8 (Caddo, Oklahoma) and again on August 18 (Claren- 

 don, Texas). Hart has reported immature specimens taken in 

 Illinois on August 17 and adults on August 18 to 20. Identifiable 

 immature material has been recorded by other authors, or is now 

 before us, taken as early as July 3 (Clear Creek Canyon, Colorado) 

 and as late as September 5 to 8 (Moss Well, Chisos Mountains, 

 Texas). No adults were taken with the latter. 



Remarks. — This species is, when due allowance is made for the 

 variation found in all of the forms of the genus, a very plastic 



