Academy of Science. 31 



law will doubtless be found to apply to Amblyrliiki cylindriformis as well as lo 

 other insects. 



I was disappointed to find these insects apparently devoid of that intensely 

 ferocious nature which had been ascribed to them by sensational writers for the 

 Eastern press, and which would be suggested by its position at the head of a 

 ravenous family, the CicindeUdoi, or Tiger-beetles. I have watched them night 

 after night coming forth from their hiding-places soon after sundown and begin- 

 ning their night-long search for food. I am satisfied that their sense of sight must 

 be exceedingly deficient, as they never discover their prey from a distance, bow- 

 ever slight, and never capture it unless stumbling upon it as it by accident. 

 When, however, they do thus stumble upon an unfortunate caterpillar, grasshop- 

 per, or other suitable article of food, a very acute sense of touch, chiefly concen- 

 trated in their long and constantly vibrating antennae, enables them to seize upon 

 and firmly hold it with their powerful mandibles, while willi their maxilUie or 

 secondary jaws they withdraw the life juices and soft tissues of their struggling 

 victim. They also manifest the imperfection of their vision by making no 

 attempt to escape from their human captors, allowing themselves to be picked up 

 as if entirely blind. They are slow in their movements, walking about with great 

 deliberation over their favorite hunting grounds, tlie sloping claj'-banks. The 

 only approach to rapidity of movement observed during the summer was in the 

 case of a single individual surprised by the morning sun while at a distance from 

 a suitable hiding place which he was making frantic exertions to discover. 



In a brief paper contributed to this Academy by Mr. H. A. Brous, at our last 

 annual meeting, it was stated that Amblychilo} live in holes which they construct 

 for themselves. My own observations do not corroborate this statement. On the 

 other hand, I found them invariably coming forth at night from holes made by 

 other animals, most especially from the Intricately winding burrows of the kan- 

 garoo rat {Dlpodomys Phillippii), by which the clay banks are often completely 

 honeycoml)ed. In these burrows they take refuge from the direct rays of the sun 

 in the daytime, in company with other nocturnal genera — Eleodes, Pasimaclius, etc. 

 These latter insects undoubtedly furnish many a midday meal for Amhlychilce, 

 which are not to be supposed to pass the entire day in sleep. On one occasion I 

 had an opportunity of watching two of them in a large abandoned badger's hole. 

 They were wide awake and walkimj: about with vibrating antenufe as if in search 

 of food. I have also kept several living specimens in confinement and have 

 carefully watched them for several weeks, but never discovered any disposition to 

 make excavations for themselves, though they would gladly take possession of 

 holes made for them in the earth at the bottom of the cage. 



In regard to food, no living insect seems to come amiss to them. They seem to 

 be especially fond of all sorts of Orthopterous and Lepidopterous larvre. They 

 will attack and devour the huge wingless locusts {Brachypeplus), and sword 

 bearers {Ensicaudes). I have seen them in the act of conquering and devouring 

 the large Prionus of the plains (P. Jissicornu), and in two instances have seen them 

 eating one another, apparently with the keenest relish. In confinement they will 

 thrive upon full grown maple-worms {Dryocampa rubicunda var. alba), the cater- 

 pillars of the Hand-maid Moth {Datana ministra), and almost every other insect 

 pest of the orchard and garden. 



But while thus visiting the death penalty upon every member of his class with 

 which he comes in contact, oi;r voracious hero is himself a choice article of diet 

 to at least one carnivorous quadruped of the plains. Mr. John M. Walker, one of 

 the members of my party, while patroling his accustomed beat one morning 



