270 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. Oct., '03] 



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The Cicindelidae of Rhode Island. 



BY C. ABBOTT DAVIS, S. B. 



The " Revision of the Cicindelidae of Boreal America," by 

 Mr. Charles W. Leng, constitutes an important step forward in 

 the science of Entomology of North America. 



It is a practical and thorough research, and his conclusions 

 are just. For example, the California green hirticollis is 

 therein recognized as a variety called gravida L,ec. 



This revision, however, compels a like revision of the 

 Rhode Island list of Cicindelidae, which to date is as follows, 

 omitting several freaks and specimens of doubtful locality : 



C. modesta Dej. is found in April and in September in sandy 

 spots near woods, or perhaps along the edge of the woods. 



It is quite local, and many Rhode Island collectors have 

 never taken a single specimen, although there are three well- 

 known spots where it may be found. One is in Warwick, one 

 near Roger Williams' Park, and a third in Seekonk. 



Four reliable members of the Rhode Island Entomological 

 Society have made a study of modesta and its running mate, 

 rugifrons. They all agree that they have taken the black 

 male with a green female, and two at least have found inter- 

 grades with green head, blackish body, and vice versa. I have 

 a few hybrids in my collection, and quote from Mr. F. H. 

 Johnson (Jour. N. Y. Ent. Soc. vol. ii, p. 142) that "on Long 

 Island occur unicolor, nigrior, lecontei, modesta and rugifrons, 

 with intergrades" 



In both modesta and rugifrons (w r hich are here color varie- 

 ties) the elytral markings vary greatly, the wider the white 

 bands the handsomer the individual, as a rule. 



Professor Gray, of Brown University, captured a sport 

 modesta which is really an albino. 



Modesta is not as common as ; ugifrons. 



It should not be inferred from the above that sports are 

 common ; on the contrary, they are rare. 



C. rugifrons Dej. 



Dates, locality and habitat same as preceding. Not difficult 

 to capture on a nice, warm, spring day. No absolute record 

 occurs of C. unicolor, niorior or lecontei, so they are omitted. 



