74 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



in time the last goal will be reached. In localities where the population 

 is becoming dense, and all land available placed under cultivation, many fine 

 species that once were common are now rarities and others fast becoming 

 so. It is less than half a century since Mr. Randall described eighty four 

 species from localities in Maine and Massachusetts, most of them com- 

 mon ; but, according to Mr. Austin, in the same places several of these 

 species are now extinct and many of them have become rare. The Cole- 

 opterist of Cincinnati, or of Buffalo, of a couple of hundred years hence, 

 who shall be fortunate enough to possess one of Mr. Dury's, or Mr. 

 Reinecke's lists of local Coleoptera, will no doubt have occasion to mourn 

 over the absence from his Fauna of many of the choice forms there 

 registered. And, by the way, the value of local catalogues would be 

 greatly enhanced by indicating the comparative abundance of the indi- 

 viduals and other matters, as is done by Mr. Schwartz in his " List of 

 Species Collected in Florida." 



The foregoing is preliminary to a consideration of the probable future 

 of several species of Pterostichus of wide distribution occurring here, as 

 deduced from their respective habits of life and powers of adaptation. 

 The references are to this locality only. 



1. P. adoxus Say occurs commonly eastwardly of the Mississippi and 

 northwardly from Tennessee and Carolina. Here it is moderately abun- 

 dant, being usually found under the bark of fallen timber, or under chips 

 and stones in its vicinity. The larvae probably live about decaying wood. 

 This species is not likely to become entirely extinct. 



2. P. rostratus Newm. has the same range as adoxus, extending 

 further south. It is much less abundant. It seems to have similar 

 habits. Here it is about extinct, only three specimens having been taken 

 in ten years ; but fifty miles south-east, along the base of the Allegheny 

 Mountains, it is not uncommon. 



3. P. diligendus Chand. occurs from Virginia to Canada, eastward of 

 the Mississippi. It is very abundant here, and, from its habits, will likely 

 survive. It is found in many of the ravines on hill sides formed by 

 springs, following them to their origin, and when found on low ground it 

 is owing to their having been brought down in freshets. It is a moisture 

 lover and is never found in dry places. Its larvae live in the banks of 

 these hillside rivulets in ground that is constandy damp. 



4. P. honestus Say is not often found here, and then either under the 

 bark of fallen timber in wet places, where it probably feeds on small 



