THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 75 



cryptogams, or in certain kinds of woody fungus. Not much can be said 

 about it, but it will probably become extremely rare. 



5. P. obscurus Say is now a rarity. It appears to be a delicate species, 

 totally incapable of any adaptability to change of surroundings. It 

 is found in the woods under stones, near the top of hills, in places where 

 the soil is light and friable. It must soon disappear from this Fauna. 



6. F. stygicus Say will be a beetle of the future, having adapted itself 

 to a great variety of conditions. It is equally at home in field or forest, 

 in the river fiats, or on the mountain tops. It is common in nearly all the 

 Northern States. 



7. P. relict us Newm. is not a common nor an abundant species. It 

 occurs occasionally in the valleys among the hills, in wild places, under 

 chips or stones, but more frequently on the rugged, sloping banks of 

 ravines, where the soil is light and friable without much moisture. From 

 the nature of its habitat it may long exist as a rarity, unless the beetle 

 hunters of the future should become so numerous as to destroy the plant. 



8. P jtioestus. This large and graceful species is now moderately 

 common, being usually found in open woodland about wood in process 

 of conversion into humus, in which it probably oviposits. In time it can 

 scarcely fail to become rare, as its beauty will cause it to be much sought 

 for, and its habitat become more and more limited. Those who desire to 

 have it with the rich purple of its elytra intact, should never place it in 

 aether or in alcohol, which transmute this color to black. 



9. P. Hamiltoiii Horn occurs usually on plateaus on the sides of hills, 

 where there is a dry friable soil with herbage and timber. It is mostly 

 found under flat stones, generally from two to four together, and makes 

 little effort to escape capture. It has only been discovered here in two 

 limited localities, and its annihilation is only a question of time. Forty 

 miles south it appears to be abundant, probably extending along the base 

 of the Alleghenies into Maryland. 



10. P. Sayi BruUe, living as it does in low ground and among rank 

 vegetation in places subject to inundation, will survive. 



11. P. Lucublandus Say is ubiquitous. Having, like stygicus, ^x&dX 

 powers of adaptation, its future is assured. 



12. P. luctuosiis Dej. oviposits under drift on alluvia along rivers and 

 their influents, and Avill probably continue more or less abundant. This, 

 and species with a similar habitat, can scarcely be altogether exterminated, 



