t\tt faitatlian Jittoiiiologbt. 



VOL. XXIII. LONDON, SEPTEMBER, 189 1. No. 9. 



NOTES OiN COLEOPTERA.— No. 8. 



BY JOHN HAMILTON, M. D., ALLEGHENY, PA. 



Panagceus crucigencs, Say. — The living beauty of this beetle is but 

 feebly represented by the dull and faded examples usually seen in collec- 

 tions. Its bright sparkling colours lose their brilliancy onward after life 

 ceases, for which no restorative has yet been discovered. It is not infre- 

 quent along the New Jersey coast, occurring sometimes in abundance. 

 The mature insects may be found on Brigantine Beach from the middle 

 of July onward. They are in their greatest abundance about the first of 

 September, at which time they seem to be disclosed. The eggs of many 

 Carabidce are deposited in July and August, and from such, imagoes are 

 produced during the same months of the succeeding year. Individuals 

 of these same and other species hibernate and oviposit in the spring, but 

 their offspring are usually not perfected till the next year. Panagceus 

 c7-ucigerus, however, at least on the coast, seems to oviposit in the spring, 

 probably during April, and to disclose the same year about the time men- 

 tioned, as appears from observations repeatedly made, one of which is 

 given. Sandy depressions ar'e seen covered in summer two or three 

 inches in thickness with sea trash, below which the ground is damp from 

 capillary attraction, as they are only a few inches above the ordinary 

 summer tides. These are the beds of tidal streams, which, during the 

 winter and spring till near April, are constantly covered with salt water 

 from ocean or bay, many of them being formed during that time, and 

 previously existing ones filled up. On the first of September, on over- 

 turning some of the weeds deposited on one of such places, several 

 examples of P. crucige?'us, too immature for use, were taken, which evi- 

 dently had been bred where they were found. As this bed had been 

 formed during the winter, of course the eggs from which these insects 

 were derived must have been deposited after March. It was physically 

 impossible for the larvae to have reached there from other places, because 

 for a long distance around there was nothing but dry and burning sand. 



