336 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [July, 'lO 



ried to Cartago and placed, usually singly, in tumblers or bot- 

 tles of water, and the attempt made to rear them to trans- 

 formation. An acceptable food for them was found in blood- 

 worms (Chironomid larvae) which could be obtained in 

 abundance near the town. Larvae of a number of species of 

 Odonata were successfully reared,* including some from the 

 eggs. The care of this living material involved the return 

 of one or both of the investigators to Cartago at short in- 

 tervals. 



Collections of terrestrial Molluscs and Annelids, of Ara- 

 neids, Orthoptera, Microdiptera, certain groups of Coleoptcra 

 and of Lepidoptera, and of bromeliadicolous animals were also 

 made to a slight extent. 



Gratifying progress in study of the Odonata was being 

 made when, on April 13, 1910, severe earthquakes damaged 

 houses, and even threw down some, in San Jose, Cartago, and 

 other towns of the central plateau. The tremors continued 

 during the remainder of the month, but were generally of 

 decreasing intensity. On May 4, however, at 6.50 P. M., while 

 Mrs. Calvert and the speaker were sitting in their room at 

 Cartago, a most violent earthquake occurred, throwing them 

 to the floor when they attempted to escape. The roof over 

 them and three walls remained upright, but the fourth, of 

 brick, crashed, partly into their room. When the shaking 

 ceased for the time, they made their way over the debris to 

 the window and escaped unhurt to the street, where they 

 spent that night, the next, and the intervening day. The fallen 

 wall destroyed and buried the larvae in rearing, but in the 

 daylight all the other collections, notes, photographic nega- 

 tives, etc., were recovered from the ruins. 



Cartago and nearby villages were completely destroyed and 

 offered no shelter. San Jose was badly damaged and the 

 fear of renewed shocks drove people everywhere to tents and 

 improvised huts in streets, parks and open places. With these 

 unfavorable conditions and the approach of the rainy season, 

 the investigators judged it best to return home to save them- 

 selves and their material from further loss.t They left Car- 

 tago May 6, on the first train to Limon, and sailed thence on 

 Mav 0, three months earlier than planned and very much to 

 their regret. 



*Cf. Ent. News for June, 1910, page 264. 



fProf. J. F. Tristan, writing from San Jose. C. R., May 26, 1910. 

 states that earthquakes had conti nued up to that date. 



