March, 1913] PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 85 



the environmental effect of the sandy soil. Discussing this phase of the subject 

 further, he said that the higher temperature was itself due to the character of 

 the soil, and that if a sandy road could be constructed from Lakehurst to West 

 Point, ending there in a sandy area of some magnitude, the same southern 

 insects would extend their range that much further north. 



The paper was discussed by Mr. Davis, Dr. Forbes and Dr. Felt, especially 

 with reference to the sandy area at Karner, west of Albany, N. Y., in which 

 there exists an abundant growth of pine and where. Dr. Felt stated, southern 

 forms also occur, for example, Sphex speciosus, the largest of the digger wasps, 

 unknown northward except in such sandy areas. 



The inference being that such forms came exclusively from the south, Dr. 

 Forbes said that it was proper to note that the plants of the Connecticut Valley 

 showed associations with western rather than with southern forms. 



Mr. Davis added that sandy areas were plentiful in Connecticut and also 

 westward from Albany, as for instance at Amsterdam. 



Mr. Leng read a paper on " Coleoptera of Dry Terrestrial Environment," 

 in which he questioned whether beetles could be successfully classified in 

 respect to environment by the division used for plants, and suggested that 

 such factors as food supply, shelter and the wilful behavior of the beetles them- 

 selves might prove to be of paramount importance. He pointed out that few 

 were capable of maintaining life in very dry environment, and that those usually 

 sought moisture by burrowing or other expedients, citing the larvae of Cicin- 

 delidse, the Scaritini, etc., as instances in point. He quoted some instances, 

 however, as the Bruchidse, found in seeds, the Ptinidse, in old furniture, drugs, 

 etc., the Dermestidse, in dry animal matter, where life was maintained under 

 exceedingly dry conditions ; and finally mentioned the Tenebrionidse, as a family 

 specially developed in the dry regions of the southwest, whose thickened integu- 

 ments and other characters suggested a possible adaptation to arid conditions. 

 Dr. Felt mentioned a fruit jar full of popcorn in his laboratory at Albany 

 for the last ten years, so dry that no mould had developed in all that time, and 

 yet full of Anthrenus musceorum, which had been breeding there continuously 

 during the whole ten years. 



Dr. Lutz said that in the Museum a vial full of red pepper and sealed with 

 wax had stood for three years continuously infested with Sitodrepa panicea. 



Dr. Osburn recalled a lepidopterous larva living in the cast antlers of a 

 Saharan deer. 



Mr. Harris, speaking of Cicindelidse, said that while they differed mate- 

 rially in the amount of moisture preferred, none was really partial to extreme 

 dryness in the larval stage. Those which seemed to like more or less drought 

 were limbalis. splendida, longilabris, scutellaris. consentanea, rufiventris, hentzii 

 and lepida, but even these he considered mesophytic in the larval period. 



Mr. Davis spoke first of the plants of " Dry Terrestrial Environment." 

 mentioning Hudsonia tomentosa, Opuntia, and blue bent grasses, as being espe- 

 cially characteristic of such localities. Then taking up the Orthoptcra he said 

 some grasshoppers were perhaps in part characteristic of dry localities, as well 



