80 THE UNIVERSITY SCIENCE BULLETIN. 



this we have a relatively large number of species and often abundant 

 numbers in a favorable situation. Uhler states that: 



"America is the principal dwelling place of these remarkable insects, 

 and in North America especially may be found the greatest variety of 

 species, and the most attractive designs of ornamentation. Every con- 

 siderable sea-beach from Cape Cod to the Florida reefs presents some 

 local form or variety of this type, and on the marshy spots of the sea 

 islands, droves of them may be frightened up as the explorer passes from 

 one bare spot to another. One large black species is found as far north 

 as the Great Bear Lake, and near the Yukon river in Alaska. Some of 

 the smaller species, with black ground color, marked with white, are 

 distributed over the greater part of North America, being found near 

 streams of water or about the drier parts of fresh-water marshes. A 

 group of pale horn-colored species with hairy surfaces, inhabit the 

 marshes of Eastern New England and of Illinois. The shores of the 

 Great Lakes are tenanted by other forms, which are often caught by 

 driving storms and piled upon the low beaches at the edge of the tide." 



The writer has found them in numbers about pools, usually with one 

 species in predominance. 



No one has recorded the rearing of any species from egg to egg, and 

 for that reason the writer is attempting to carry two Kansas species 

 through their development. 



NOTES ON SALDA ANTHRACINA UHLER AND LAMPRACANTHIA 

 CRASSICORNIS UHLER. 



On the borders of the Meadow Pool at Ringwood Hollow, N. Y., two 

 species of Saldids were found in number along with a species of Hebrus, 

 elsewhere noted. The Saldids were in the sphagnum-like moss and about 

 the sedge and rush clumps. Both species are shiny black somewhat 

 hirsute species with tegmina coriaceous. The former is plump bodied 

 and of fair size, the latter a smaller more slender form. They have the 

 same habitat and attempt to escape by running and by quick short jumps 

 rather than by flight. Their food habits, mating and oviposition habits 

 are about the same. 



When first observed about the Ringwood pool on June 22, only adults 

 werfe found of the L. crassicornis while the S, anthracina were all in the 

 nymphal stage. June 28 many of the latter were in the last nymphal in- 

 star. Eleven of these nymphs were brought in alive placed in a large 

 slender dish and fed flies, Jassids, etc. July 1 one became adult and by 

 July 5 there were four adults, the remainder following* shortly. Mating 

 took place and eggs were found between the leaflets of the moss on July 16. 



It was noted above that the smaller species was in the adult stage 

 when first taken. These were at once placed under observation in jelly 

 glasses containing a quarter inch of moist sand. One pair was placed in 

 each jelly glass in order to get a record of mating and egg laying. Most 

 of the observations relate to this species, although they apply almost 

 equally well to the larger form. 



Habits. They are shy, cautious creatures which hide among the clumps 

 of shore grass and moist patches. They feed upon such insects as they 

 may chance to meet, even the disabled of their own kind. 



Mating. The male follows the female about for some moments before 

 mounting her with a sudden pounce. He appears to keep at a respectful 



