35 



outs. Found also at Grand Tower and in the Lake Michigan area. It 

 is very wary and flies strongly. Perhaps the most distinctive species 

 of blowout basins. Leng gives the following distribution : "Atlantic 

 coast in New York and New Jersey; plains of Kansas, Nebraska; 

 New Alexico, Manitoba, Illinois, Iowa." 



Family Carabidae 



Ground-beetles 



The Carabidae are predaceous fonns which invade a variety of 

 habitats, and, generally speaking, are the dominant members of the 

 order Coleopteva. While they are an essentially carnivorous group, 

 many species eat mostly vegetable food. Almost all the larvae live 

 under ground, and are also predaceous. 



Pasimachus elongatus Lee. June 28, April 4. 



This is a subterranean species and is occasionally found under 

 logs, stones, and rubbish, in open woods and along the borders of 

 cultivated fields, particularly in sandy places. The elytra are grown 

 together at the suture, indicating a complete adoption of the under- 

 ground habit. In the bunch-grass one specimen was found in dig- 

 ging up burrows of mammals, being there, perhaps, in search of 

 larv?e of scavenger insects. The elytra of one specimen was found 

 imder a log near the summit of a bunch-grass-covered dune south- 

 east of Havana. 



Ptcrostichiis lucublandiis Say. April 4. 



This species hibernates in the adult state. Studies by Dr. Forbes 

 indicate plant and animal food, partly fungi, seeds, etc., and 43 per 

 cent, caterpillars and other insects. It is found usually under logs, 

 stones, and leaves. In the bunch-grass association, it was taken un- 

 der a log along a fence. 



Amara cupreolata Putz. April 7. 



This small metallic beetle is one of those Carabidae which feed 

 largely upon vegetable matter — usually the seeds of grasses and other 

 plants. It is generally found under logs or stones, and occurs in a 

 wide range of habitats. One specimen was picked up on blowsand 

 at the Devil's Neck. 



Calathus opaculus Lee. April 5. 



Common in sandy soils. One damaged specimen taken near a 

 fence, in sandy loam. This is the only record from the Illinois River 

 sand regions. Two thirds of the food is animal, the rest consists 

 of the pollen of grasses. 



