338 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



During the year I made many observations upon the habits of that 

 very interesting form, the Rhomalea microptera. The results of these I 

 have already published with a plate giving figures of the male and 

 female insect, in Science, vol. 2, December 28, 1883. I have nothing 

 further to add here connected with the life-history of this insect from 

 my own observations. 



In the early spring months I collected many of the larva? of that 

 great brown beetle, the Strategus julianus, so abundant in and about 

 the city. The larvae are of a very large size, of a i)ale cream color, 

 with coffee-colored heads. They are usually taken under old logs and 

 boards, in dry places. Many of these 1 kept during the summer, and 

 in numerous instances succeeded in rearing them through the various 

 stages to the perfect insect. This requires several months, but no spe- 

 cial care beyond imitating their surroundings in nature. A good his- 

 tory of Strategus julianus is given in tbe Mexican " Naturaliza " by 

 Eugene Duges, rendering it unnecessary for me to dwell further upon 

 it here. 



Tiger beetles made their appearance about the 10th of June, and the 

 two forms of this beautiful genus ( Tetracha) that 1 captured were not 

 uncommon after that date, in the open pathways through the fields and 

 parks. 



About the same time my collectors commenced bringing in specimens 

 of PJectrodera sealator, that large black and white beetle which forms 

 such a striking object in the entomological fauna of the State, more 

 so, even, than Dynastes tityus, which is not so common, but far exceeds 

 it in point of size. During the day time specimens of Mallodon dasys- 

 tonius were rarely taken, but after dark, when lights were lit in the 

 houses, this insect very often entered through the open windows. I 

 have frequently at such times taken three or four on the same evening. 



Either from their rarity or my ill-fortune in not coming across them, 

 I found Acanthoderes quadrigihhus, Ontliophagus hecate, and Goes pulcher 

 to be among the rarest of the CoUoptera. Indeed, of the latter two I 

 found but one of each during the entire summer. 



One of the most numerous insects is Euphoria melanchoUca, and num- 

 bers of them are sure to be captured on every excursion. Mud-daubers 

 are particularly abundant and a great nuisance, as they construct nests 

 in many i)laces, both in the houses and under eaves and porches on the 

 outside. These nests, when broken up, are often good places to find 

 the dead spiders that have been stowed away in them by the owners. 



Among the Diptera, the undetermined species marked 132 of the 

 genus Stratiomys was apparently of very rare occurrence. My entire 

 collection contains but one specimen. 



A good representative collection of the dragon-flies of the region, and 

 the species are numerous, were destroyed by ants during my temporary 

 absence from the city for a few days, and I was unable to replace them, 

 as the time had gone by. 



