74 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLI-XTIONS VOL. 85 



may be said that almost any small number of captures by our birds 

 would satisfy expectations. There are eight records distributed among 

 six species of birds, about all that probabilities demand. As to the 

 Tenebrionidae so many species of which have secretions nauseous to 

 man, the nearly 2,200 records are eloquent of the fact that these 

 beetles are not disliked by birds. If they do enjoy any degree of 

 immunity from bird attacks, it is probably (m account of their char- 

 acteristic nocturnal or otherwise seclusive habits. The number of 

 species of birds known to prey upon Tenebrionids is in excess of 175 ; 

 nine birds had over 20 records each, five others more than 40, one 

 additional over 50, and two others more than 100. The number of 

 specimens taken at a meal ran up to 44 in two cases and to 46 in 

 another and 53 in still another. The number of species of Teneb- 

 rionidae identified was over 100. including 12 of Eleodes, the largest 

 and most potently odoriferous of the family. 



Of these a recent article says : " It was interesting to note that the 

 quantity of the secretion voided varies noticeably wnth the different 

 species under observation, both under field and under laboratory con- 

 ditions, and some of the species, notal^ly Eleodes fricosfafa Say, 

 undoubtedly have the habit of erecting the abdomen in a threatening 

 manner when approached, though no secretion may be voided. Such 

 species undoubtedly find protection through imitation of the threaten- 

 ing movements of their more formidable associates. Two of the 

 characteristics of the Eleodes are their slowness of movement, and 

 their habit of coming out of their hiding places about sunset for 

 feeding purposes, and their presence is readily noticed on the bare 

 sandy plains by birds, skunks, and other enemies, hence their protec- 

 tive secretion, or, in the absence of this, their threatening maneuvers 

 are no doubt of highest value to them." (Wade, J- S., Notes on 

 defensive scent glands of certain Coleoptera, Psyche, vol. 28. nos. 5-6, 

 p. 148, Oct.-Dec, 1921.) 



In this connection it may be said that our tabulations show 51 

 records of birds feeding on Eleodes fricosfafa and 109 for the other 

 species. Other large Tenebrionids as Asida and Nycfohafes are well 

 represented in the table of determinations as are also the metallic 

 forms such as Helops, Meracaiilha. and lipifragus. Blapsfimis with 

 286 records for 1 1 species is the favorite genus, and the reason is 

 what? — simply that it is the most widely distributed and the most 

 numerous in individuals. 



With respect to the other " partially distasteful " family of beetles, 

 the Scarabaeidae (sens, lat.), the more than 13,000 records in oin- 

 tabulations speak for themselves. The selectionist protectionists have 



