36 THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Others it occurs — some wintering in the perfect state alone, some in the 

 larva and the imago condition, and others as larva and pupa. 



Man}' of the species appear to make some preparation, retiring to 

 situations that will more or less protect them from intense cold ; others 

 seem to have power to survive without any practical protection, as Lixiis 

 concaviis and Aiegilla inaculata, to be mentioned further on. 



The majority are apparently subject to conditions that correspond to 

 what is observed in warm blooded animals in a state of complete tor- 

 pidity, namely : the absence of all detectable respiration ; a temperature 

 equal to that of the surrounding atmosphere till near the freezing point, 

 and the power to survive a long entire deprivation of air, and even sub- 

 mersion in carbonic acid gas. There is no well substantiated case, that I 

 have seen, of any of the above class reviving after a few hours submerg- 

 ence in water, except in that of certain swallows washed from their winter 

 quarters in the low banks of streams by freshets ; and while some of these 

 appear to have resumed the functions of life partially, none have been 

 resuscitated completely. 



Many, if not all Coleoptera in the hiemal state in whatever stage, 

 possess this latter power in an eminent degree, as is veiy evident from 

 observations on the effects of winter inundations, as in the instance fol- 

 lowing. In February, 1884, a section of bottom land over one mile in 

 length and one quarter in width, was entirely overflowed by the Allegheny 

 to an average depth of five feet, and remained totally submerged over 

 seven days. This is famous ground for Cicindelidse and Carabidse. Thou- 

 sands of C. repajida are on the shore from April till November. Carabus 

 vinetus, Platyjius vielanarius, picipennis, extenslcollis and anchonienoides ; 

 Fterostichtis lucublafidus, Sayi and luduosus ; Anisodactyhis discoideus, 

 Balt'wiorensis, &c., &:c., abound. 



To all appearance no terrestrial life could survive such a protracted 

 submergence, which over a considerable portion of this area was even a 

 week longer ; and yet, when the warm days of April came, here was 

 C. repanda as numerous as ever ; later appeared the various species of 

 Carabidae, many with the elytra encrusted with mud ; and all kinds of 

 insects seemed as abundant as in seasons in which no brumal overflow 

 had occurred. 



Lachnosterna fiitilis, Avhich abounds in grassy places along the bank, 

 was in no wise affected ; nor was Saperda concolor, which inhabits the 

 canes of a dwarf willow. 



