20 Journal New York Entomological Society, [^'o'- x>^vi^- 



mating time, it exists for the most part l)elo\v the surface, burrowing 

 in the soil and is active principally at night. Many times the burrow 

 of the insect is found just below the surface so that the earth is 

 raised above the gallery resembling a miniature mole burrow and by 

 these the presence of the insect may be detected. Many of these 

 surface galleries, extending irregularly through the soil, were noted 

 at Rutherford and one of the workmen who had been acquainted 

 with the insect in Europe stated that they were made by the male. 

 When these were followed, they would frequently be found to extend 

 down into the soil, especially where they came in contact with an 

 obstruction such as a flower pot. In some cases they ended blindly 

 near the surface. The burrow made by the female and connected 

 with the egg chamber was quite different. In this case a channel 

 about one inch below the surface extended in the form of a circle 

 five or six inches in diameter. A burrow led from this somewhat 

 downward and toward the center of the circle and terminated in the 

 egg chamber. Another channel extending outward and downward 

 from the circular one was apparently a place of retreat for the 

 female since it was always in this latter burrow that the female was 

 found whenever the ground above the egg cavity was disturbed and 

 the egg chamber removed from the ground. 



These galleries may occur in a variety of soils. Van Den Broek 

 and Schenk state that the insect prefers soils rich in humus and may 

 be found in different parts of Holland, sometimes in clay soil which 

 is not too stiff. Wood says the insects prefer a loose sandy soil, but 

 this does not ajjpear probable for as Figuier suggests " the chamber is 

 scooped out in soil stiff enough to resist the action of rain." An 

 examination of the arrangement and structure of the anterior legs 

 shows how well these insects are fitted for working in the soil. These 

 legs fit closely against the lower outer margins of the thorax and 

 sides of the head, being broadened dorso-ventrally. The outer ex- 

 tremity of the tibia is provided with four well-developed teeth, while 

 the modified tarsus also possesses two tooth-like projections and 

 these are so arranged that they may move over some of the teeth of 

 the tibia forming a shear-like arrangement, which it has been sug- 

 gested is useful in cutting roots as the insect works its way through 

 the ground. Moreover, an examination of living specimens shows 

 that they can exert consideral:)le pressure outward with the forelegs. 



