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Plcocoma Fimbriata, Lee. 

 That the species ofScarabaeidae arc not numerous in California mav 

 tly he line to the long continued drouths, occuring annually, from the 

 end df May to about the lath of.Oi tober, during which time the surface 

 is baked into more or less hardened crust through which the larger Sea- 

 rabaeidae would find it very difficult to emerge. Polyphylladecemlineita 

 Say, frequenting the vicinity of large oak and other forest trees, and Am- 

 mo, ursina Lee. breeding in the shifting sea-sands, avoid this diffi- 

 culty, hut a is in Pleocoma that we get the happy illustration of the old 

 proverb, that "all things come to him that waits". They wait until the 

 first autumnal showers soak the earth to the depth of four or six inches, 

 when they quickly emerge. Their flight is diurnal and of very short 

 duration, lasting a day or at most two days. Probably no single indivi- 

 dual remains on the surface more than a few hours ami many disappear 

 again in the earth after a few minutes flight. In this lie-, their safety. 

 otherwise their size and awkwardness would render them an easy prev to 

 omnivorous devils, the Stellars and California fays, which are everv- 

 where abundant and always ready to gobble up a helpless insect, rob tin 

 nests of other birds, or depredate the vineyard or cornfield. 



The locality where a brood of Pleocoma fimbriata was observed by 

 me in 1SS5. when I took three males, and again this autumn, when 

 about a dozen were secured, is a series of barren hills that are excessive- 

 ky and overgrown by low, scrubby bushes; chief among them being 

 the common Manzanita, upon the roots of which I suspect the larvae 

 will be found to feed. The flight of the males is low and heavy, seldom 

 attaining a height of more than six or eight feet and their progress is 

 slow. Alighting clumsily on a low bush and tumbling to the ground. 

 they at once hunt for a soft spot, commence to burrow and quicklv get 

 out of sight. All this applies to the males only, which are totally black 

 and shining. I have succeeded in capturing but one female, which is ' 

 brown ami much more convex than the males and is without wine>. 

 She was found about four inches below the surface, with three males in 

 the same burrow, following her and fighting each other vigorously. 



The union of the sexes being, seemingly the only object of their ap- 

 pearance above ground, it is a question wether the apterous females ever 

 entirely emerge, or perhaps only approach the surface, from below. 

 flying males discover them by some acute sense and dig down 

 to find their mates. However that may be, this much is certain that the 

 whole brood makes its appearance on the next day after the first soaking 

 showers in ( >ctober. On the following day a lew stragglers onlv will be 

 seen, and after that a single individual, — late and disappointed,— 

 be found, once in a long while, but the probabilities are greatly agains 



Entomologies Americana. 2K [anuary ii>i>7. 



