108 f^*y' 



the network of lines wliicli mark and ramify the surface. Investigation shows 

 clearly that some small animal has pushed its way through the soft alluvium 

 and formed little tunnels in the freshly exposed sediment left by the receding 

 water .... Along a small creek in western Illinois on a day late in July, the 

 entire life-history of the little builder of the burrow was found in all complete- 

 ness. Near the water, just beneath the surface of the soft squashy mud, were 

 the tunnels, freshly made. Farther back on the dryer portion of the bar, the 

 tunnels were more numerous and the elevation of the soil which marked 

 the passages was more distinct, due to the drying of the earth. Still farther 

 back the lines formed, in places, an almost unbroken mat, so extensive had the 

 network become. On the higher, firmer portions of the deposit, among the 

 older less distinct galleries, were little cases with chimney-like extensions 

 projecting from the mud. Here, then, was the life-history of these interesting 

 beetles in all its completeness within this very limited area. The adult beetle 

 was found to be the maker of the tunnels in the fi'esh mud near the water. 

 Several were captured within the burrows, and others, when disturbed, foVced 

 their way out through the mud and flew away. In these newly constructed 

 passages are laid the eggs in small masses. The eggs hatch into active running- 

 larvae which greatly extend the home already started for them by the adult, 

 growing to a length of 7 or 8 mm. The larvae construct for themselves tho mud 

 chambers with the peculiar little chimneys extending up from them. The 

 openings of these chimneys are usually closed near the top by a very thin layer 

 of dry mud. These structures become firm and strong alter they are dry. 

 In the chamber the larva changes to a pupa. Beside the larvae and pupae, 

 several adults were found witliin the cells. At the time of pupation the larvae 

 [presumably of the larger species, H. jKiUidus] measured 7-8 mm. in length, 

 and the cases averaged 10 mm. in their longest dimension .... When the 

 place was visited a few days later, a rise of the stream had obliterated tlie 

 entire cohmy, and nothing remained but the plain mud bar." The larvae (as 

 seen from profile views) are much more elongate than the one shown by 

 Westwood in his "Introduction to the modern classification of Insects." A 

 good illustration, however, of the larva oi H. fenestratus Thunb. (after Letzner), 

 is given by Ganglbauer (Kafer Mitteleurop. iv, p. 129, 1904) and Keitter (Fauna 

 Germanica, iii, p. 174, fig. 64, 1911). — Eds. 



Occurrence of Orneodes huehneri in Canada. — Amongst some Micro- 

 Lepidoptera very kindly collected for me by Dr. A. JefFeris Turner on his 

 way back to Australia is an undoubted example of Orneodes hnebneri, taken 

 at Calgary, Alberta, late in August ; I believe the species has not been 

 recorded from America, which is a considerable extension of its range 

 (Europe to the Himalayas and South Africa). I suggest the insect may 

 probably have entered from the west, whilst hexadactyla, the only otlier 

 recorded North American species, probably came from the east. — E. Meyrick, 

 Thornhanger, Marlborough : March 2Qth, 1919. 



Proportion of the sexes in Deitiacrida {Hemideiiia) megacephala Buller. — 

 During the whole of my entomological experience in New Zealand I have 

 noticed that, unlike most species of insects, the females of the common " Weta " 

 (Deitiacrida megacephala), &\\u^q apterous cricket common throughout the North 

 Island of New Zealand, are more numerous than the males. To-day, whilst 



