1001.] 65 



Fruui the middle of the next April it gradually increased in nuuibers, 

 still within its extremely limited range, till the middle of June, and 

 had practically disappeared by the end of the mouth. During July I 

 took one or two Geodcphagous larva3 beneath stoues, thinking they 

 possibly might appertain to this species, but I failed to rear them, and 

 no better success attended two or three pairs of imagines previously 

 brought home and surrounded with a natural pabulum with a view to 

 obtaining ova. Towards the end of the mouth the beetle begau to 

 emerge on the Plateau, one or two being still immature when found. 1 

 was away throughout August, and repeated diligent searchings in 

 JSeptember were abortive. The only subsequent capture was that of 

 a solitary specimen, a little removed from the headquarters, early in 

 xlugust, 1899.* It has not occurred at all during the past season. 



Mr. P. B. Mason and Mr. E. C. Bedwell have searched the spot 

 for the species too late. Mr. E. A. Elliott is the only collector besides 

 myself who has taken H. Frdlichii.f 



The habits appear to vary in no way from those of other Harpali^ 

 notably H. discoideus, with which the species was almost constantly 

 found, though much less commonly. It is not gregarious, and the 

 only occasion upon which 1 took more than two beneath a single 

 shelter was under a large felled fir log, where were ten specimens. 

 Subsequently it was found only beneath stones, usually small, more or 

 less embedded in the sandy soil, into which these insects are wont 

 to burrow beneath the stone and so further escape the sun's rays. 

 The last specimen was the only one found exposed to the light of day. 

 The majority were taken in dull, warm weather, with, perhaps, a tine 

 rain falling, snugly ensconced just beneath the sides of the stone. 

 Though the surrounding country was searched in apparently exactly- 

 similar environments no trace of the insect was discernible, and no 

 reason obtained for the total disappearance of what a couple of years 

 ago seemed a fairly strong colony. 



A mention of some of its associates may yet further illustrate 

 the natural circumstances under which the species is found, and, 

 first, I may say the Plateau is covered, where no bracken grows and 



* On Juiic 0th, 1899, I visited the Plateati with Mr. Morley, and failed to discover a single 

 specimen of this species, or of any other, in its old haunts. I noticed that the ground was 

 thickly covered with sheep tracks, and that even the smallest stone had heen moved out of its 

 bed. May not this have something to do with tlie disaxopearance of the insects? On no previous 

 occasion had tliere been any trace of sheep on that part of the Plateau. — E. A Elliott. 



+ Entire dduils or capiare : — 189V : May 4th, examples, 4 by E. A E. ; 29th, 10 examples. 

 1898 : Aijril Ibth, 4 examples ; 28th, 15 examples, and several passed by ; May 6tli, 8 examples, 

 and a dozen passed by ; 13th, 4 exaoiples ; June 4th, 9 examisles, 8 by E. A. E. ; atb, 9 examples 

 by E. A. E. ; 18th, 8 examples, and several passed by ; 21st, only 4 examples seen ; 28th, 1 male 

 onlj' ; July 29th, 2 examples, and .several immature passed ^^y . 1899 : Aug\ist 7th, 1 example 

 walking in a ploughed field about luu yanls fmm I'latnau. Total, 8il spceiiiieiis taken, of which 

 the sexes were very nearly ei^ually distrib\ited. 



