THE CANADIA.N ENTOMOLOGIST. 183 



tion, and it is not well agreed among eminent coleopterists whether there 

 should be one species or two. The form found in Grant Land is stated 

 to have been the common black British form, i?iesonieiinHS, Marsh. 



Tanarthrus salicoia, Lee. — This interesting little Anthicide was 

 described from the salt marshes of the Rio Colorado, where it is said to 

 have the habits and activity of a Cicindelide. 1 saw an example taken 

 by an amateur entomological friend on a salt marsh near Lincoln, 

 Nebraska, which shows the species to be also an inhabitant of the alkaline 

 salt marshes west of the Rocky Mountains. 



Lept'ums testaceus, Miill.; Caucasicus^ Motsch.; Americaims, Lee. — '- 

 This curious beetle, which is blind, is known to be native in Europe and 

 Western Asia, as well as in North America. Its consideration here is 

 chiefly intended to present at one view what is known of its habits and 

 what has been written about it, with the view to ascertain more nearly its 

 mode of life. The chief bibliographical references in American literature 

 are : — 



1. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phil., 1866, 367. Described by Dr. Leconte, 

 under the name Americatms^ from examples found by Dr. Brendel at 

 Keokuk, Iowa, under a log, in a mouse nest. 



2. Classification of the Coleopt. of N. A., 1883, 77. " Lives with 

 various small rodents and insectivora, either on their bodies or in the 

 material of their nests, but whether as true parasites or merely as guests 

 has not been determined." 



3. Proc. Ent. Soc, Washington, I., 16, 1884. " Known to be parasitic 

 only in the imago state." — Schtvarz. 



4. Insect Life, I., 200. Prof C. V. Riley states that the larvae and 

 imagoes had been found around Washington in the nests of Graphops. 



5. Scientif Amer. Suppl., XXV., 10356, June 1888, and re-printed in 

 Insect Life, L, 306. " It is known to be parasitic on mice, as it has been 

 found upon them in Philadelphia by Dr. John A. Ryder, and I have taken 

 it in the nests of a common field mouse near Washington." — Riley. 



6. Proc. Ent. Soc, Wash., II., 2. "Parasitic on wood mice and on 

 other small rodents." — Schwarz. Mr. H. Ulke has also taken this species. 

 Prof Jerome Schmitt, of St. Vincent College, Westmoreland Co., takes 

 it comparatively frequently, and kindly permits the use of his notes. 

 Nov. 3rd, 1890, one example was taken in a mouse nest under a log, the 

 mouse having just fled; cold and snowing. Many nests of mice were 

 examined by sifting during the winter, but no Lepthius were obtained 



