Vol. XXI] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 2OI 



Carabidae from Harrisburg and vicinity, with notes, 

 BY A. B. CHAMPLAIN AND H. B. KIRK, Harrisburg, Pa. 



During the past two years, 1908 and 1909, we turned our 

 attention to collecting insects, especially Coleoptera. The reg- 

 ions about Harrisburg are ideal for Carabidae and very rich in 

 species of that family. We made an especial effort to turn up 

 as many as possible and in this way brought together not only 

 an interesting collection of specimens but notes and data that 

 may be of interest to others. The collecting of Carabidae, al- 

 though requiring more effort and actual labor than do most 

 insects, is nevertheless just as interesting. During a day's 

 collecting we would turn over a few tons of stones and it was 

 seldom that we did not find some rare or interesting species. 

 We found a great number of species in the early part of the 

 year when the hibernating and emerging forms were most 

 plentiful under stones, logs, the debris of the last year's vege- 

 tation, etc. One of the most interesting means of collecting 

 was at night with our acetylene light. It would be a revelation 

 to those who have not tried this plan to see the great numbers 

 that can be taken in this way, especially on mud flats, banks 

 or shores of streams ; there you will find them feeding, run- 

 ning about. For this reason it should be understood that the 

 turning over of stones and logs at night was not resorted to. 

 A number of species were taken on the trunks of various trees 

 and running along the paths in most any situation at night. 

 We also found the electric lights or arcs worth our while. 



The numerous islands in the Susquehanna River in this 

 vicinity were also visited. The island on which we did most 

 of our collecting is usually submerged during the winter 

 months and other high water periods. 



The majority of the determinations were made by Mr. 

 Charles Liebeck, of Philadelphia, Pa., to whom we express our 

 thanks for this and many suggestions that have been of help 

 to us. Other members of the little band of local collectors and 

 entomologists have turned up species that we have been unable 

 to find; their names will be given in each instance, but in all 



