Sept.-Dcc, igiS.] BlATCHLEY : HoME OF HORMOPS. 155 



Fig. I 

 Fig. 2 

 Fig. 3 

 Fig. 4 

 Fig. 5 



Plate VIII. 

 Tibicen lyricen (De Geer). 

 Tibicen similaris (Smith & Grossbcck). 

 Tibicen biconica (Walker). 

 Okanagana viridis Davis. Type. 

 Okanagaiia viridis Davis. Allotype. 



THE HOME OF HORMOPS AND ITS PROPER POSI- 

 TION AMONG OTHER RHYNCHOPHORA. 



By W. S. Blatchley, 



Indianapolis, Indiana. 



Anyone who has had much experience in collecting Coleoptera 

 knows that one of the most successful methods of taking them is by 

 beating into an inverted umbrella. Aside from the use of the 

 sweep-net, more species can be secured by beating than by any other 

 method of collecting and in general the species so taken are more apt 

 to be rare or especially desirable than those taken with the net. 



In beating, however, much rubbish, as dead leaves, twigs, etc., 

 falls into the umbrella, so that it is often half full or more of debris 

 among and beneath which many of the beetles attempt to hide, while 

 others, more active, crawl to its top and take quickly to wing. All 

 of us remember how often many a fine specimeii has suddenly ap- 

 peared and escaped while we were attempting to balance the ungainly 

 receptacle on some support, and perhaps at the same time trying to 

 bottle an example of a rather common and much less desired species. 

 The collector can only make a wry face and perhaps utter a cuss 

 word as he sees the prize slip away, but neither the facial expression 

 nor the expletive will lure it back. 



It has been my custom, and perhaps is that of most collectors, to 

 sort over in a rather crude manner this debris and pitch it over the 

 side onto the ground, taking meanwhile any desired individual uncov- 

 ered, and finally reaching the " pay dirt " at the bottom, among which 

 the smaller and often the rarer species are to be found. In so doing 

 we have doubtless cast aside many a rare specimen whose color and 

 lack of movement did not betray its presence. 



