—11— 



COLLECTING NOTES 



J5y II. F. WlCKliAM. 



The occurrence ^fa Brachynus, determined by Dr. Horn as cincti- 

 peniiis, Chev. , at Albuquerque, N. Mex., adds a very pretty and easily 

 recognized species to our fauna. Three specimens were taken in July. 



Ctenistes piilvcrcus, Lee, occurs at Williams, Arizona, under Pine 

 bark in October, and Fiisliger fuchsii, Br., was taken in the same locality, 

 with a small black ant which makes its nesis above ground in dried cow 

 droppings. Six specimens were found early in May. The occurrence 

 of ihis species so far West is of interest, and the ant with which it lives 

 is a different species from any that I have seen in the Kast. Mr. Ulke 

 writes me that he sees no difference in my specimens of F. fuchsii and 

 his types fritm Tennessee. 



Helcerius irisiriatus, Horn, was taken at Coolidge, New Mexico, at 

 an elevation of about 7,000 ft. My specimen was found in the evening 

 resting on a stone under which was a colony of ants. Hiis species was 

 described from Calaveras, Cal. 



At Needles, Cal., I had my first experience with Gyascufus phmi- 

 cosfa. Here they were quite numerous, but so extremely active that it 

 was with difficulty that 1 got four or five of them the first day. They 

 are seen clinging to the twigs of a gummy bush, growing in sandy spots 

 away from the river, and lake flight at the slightest alarm. However, I 

 succeeded in getting a nice lot of them by rising next morning before the 

 sun, W'hen I found them on the twigs, quite inactive and easily taken by 

 hand without the use of a net. In this way I took more of them in one 

 hour than I could have taken in ten, had I waited until day advanced. 



Niptus veniricuhis, Lee, is sometimes gregarious, as I found a 

 colony of about 35 individuals, at Winsk)W, Arizona, May 5th, all close 

 together under an old log. This species probabh" bieeds in old wood, 

 as there was nothing under tlie leg but sand, and many dthers of this 

 laniily are lignivurous. 



One of the characteristic features of the insect fauna ol tlie South- 

 west is the occurrence in large numbers of manv fine O/ior/ivJichiifw and 

 Cleonini. These occur both on plants, and around the roots in the sand. 



Ophryastes vittatus is found chiefly on the "greasewood," high above 

 ground on young shoots ; while O. sulcirostris and O. laiirosiris occur 

 around the roots of this and other plants, being it seems not so fond of 

 climbing. The color of the two last mentioned species agrees better 

 with that of the soil than does the color of O. vi/Ja/us, but is not so well 

 adapted to the purpose of concealment, wdien high up among the leaves. 

 A Very pretty new species of this genus rewarded my search. 



