Feb., '05] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 53 



The Spreading of Sphaeridium Scarabaeotdes L. 



BY FREDERICK KNAB. 



This beetle is not only spreading through the Eastern States, 

 as shown by Mr. C. O. Houghton, in the last volume of ENT. 

 NEWS, p. 310, but also to the westward. Upon a recent visit 

 to Chicago I was suprised to see a fine series of this insect 

 among the local captures in the collection of Mr. A. B. \Vol- 

 cott. Although Mr. Wolcotthascollectedindustriouslyabout 

 Chicago for a number of years, he had never seen this species 

 until he met it on October 9, 1904. Upon that date he captured 

 23 specimens and could have taken many more. The speci- 

 mens were all found on the lake-shore embankment in the 

 northern part of the city where they doubtless crawled after 

 being washed ashore. They were very active and would readily 

 take flight after running a distance of one or two inches. Mr. 

 Wolcott also captured a single specimen on November 2. 

 1904, so that it would seem that the species is established about 

 Chicago, though evidently a very recent arrival. The above 

 specimens show considerable variation in the color-markings of 

 the elytra, and also in size, the specimens measuring from 4.5- 

 7 mm. 



It is an interesting feature in the spread of the species in 

 the East that it seems to have invaded the Connecticut River 

 valley from the southward. The writer took a single specimen 

 near Mount Tom, Mass., in the summer of 1902. and the fol- 

 lowing season encountered it at various points in Hamden 

 County, Mass., while the Rev. C. Crozet had already found 

 the species plentiful about Hartford, Conn., in 1901. 



1 should be obliged to you if you would call attention in Notes and 

 News to the fact that I shall be glad to examine and name any Crvptocc- 

 rate Heiniptera sent to me, except Corixas. I am working on these 

 groups for the North American fauna, and find it extremely difficult to 

 get material. There is so very little known about them that even our 

 accepted text books contain glaring errors. I should be glad to answer 

 any queries regarding these insects. 



I see that my friend, Mr. G. W. Kirkaldy, implies that I might give 

 you some information regarding the method of " oaring " in water bugs. 

 Quoting offhand from casual observation, I would say that /!t-/os/onm. 

 Cori.va and Xolonecta move the hind legs together. Ranatni I have 

 observed several times, and that curious insect paddles through the water 

 in a very curious way. It uses the second and third pairs of legs, which 

 it moves alternately, first one pair and then the ether. It is a vei \ slow 

 and awkward swimmer. J. R. in-: LA TOKKI I'n MI, _>s I'.road St., N Y 



