BOSTON ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 25 



family the elytra of the females are grooved, while those 

 of the males are smooth. 



Although these insects kill their prey, they do not de- 

 vour it, but obtain their nourishment by suction. 



The Dytiscidoi may be found at any season of the year. 

 They fly, both by day and night, from one pond to another. 

 Were it not for this, certain ponds might become over- 

 stocked and the race degenerate. 



Sometimes in winter the ice is speckled with these in- 

 sects which emerge through the cracks to fly, but falling 

 on the ice become benumbed. 



When on the land the movements of the Dytiscidce are 

 clumsy on account of the shortness of their fore legs. 

 Their motions in the water are very graceful, swimming 

 along near the surface and at times diving. Most of the 

 DytiscidcB, and particularly the larger species, are gre- 

 garious. 



GENERAL NOTES. 



Red Squirrel Swimming. The following note may be 

 of interest: On March 3, 1878, when walking near a 

 small pond, I saw a Red Squirrel (Sciurus liudsoniiis) 

 come to the opposite bank. It entered the water and 

 swam some ten or fifteen feet to an old elm tree, up which 

 it climbed, and after a few moments came down and swam 

 ashore. 



I have never heard of a squirrel taking voluntarily to 

 the water. Arthur P. Chadhourne, Cambridge, Mass. 



Dendrgeca pinus in Winter. Mr. Brown of Framing- 

 ham saw four or fiw^ Pine Warblers (^Dendroeca pinus) 

 in that place on December 5, 1881, and shot one. They 

 were in company w^ith Chickadees (Parus atricajnllus) 

 etc. On January 1, 1882, I saw one or two in the same 

 place, they were also with Chickadees and were very tame. 

 The locality was west of Framingham, on rather high 

 ground, not very far from pine trees. 



