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larva?, writes me : "I watched one yesterday fix the flower-buds on his 

 spines. He carefully bit the stalk in two, and then took the flower 

 between the pair of front legs, sat up like a squirrel and nibbled all the 

 outer green covering, and then turned his head around and placed the 

 bud on the spine, pressing it down and turning it half round several 

 times until it was well fixed, and then, seeming to be tired, took a good 

 long rest. " 



He says the larviu grew very slowly, and it is likely in view of the 

 lime taken for larval development that the insect is single brooded. Those 

 that I received were seemingly not full grown, when no longer the flowers 

 uF the Golden rod could be found to feed them; and I am uncertain 

 whether they pass the winter in the larval or pupal state. 



Capturing Carabus serratus. 

 By a. C. Weeks. 



The capture of this handsome Carih like that of its relatives of the 

 genus Cychrus is rapidly becoming more infrequent in the vicinity of the 

 City of New York. A specimen hibernating under a stone is occasionally 

 taken in the Autumn or early Sprmg, but otherwise except by rare 

 chance is not I believe often met with. Yet this beetle is in my opinion 

 not so extraordinarily rare and familiarity with the life history and habits in 

 the case of this as of other beetles previously considered rare will supply 

 the collector with abundant specimens. 



The species of this genus are chiefly nocturnal and the one in quest- 

 ion absolutely so. The single brood attains maturity in August and the 

 beetles emerge from their places of concealment and frequent the roots 

 of large trees in localities somewhat moist and comparatively free from 

 underbrush, searching there for food. They likely find enough of this 

 for they are both carnivorous and vegetarian and when unable to inter- 

 cept some unfortunate caterpillar on its way to or from its lunch the 

 beetle will gorge itself with sap or other sweet juices. This latter fact 

 can be made use of to obtain them in numbers. In sugaring after the 

 manner of Lepidopterists brush the syrup to the roots of the trees where 

 the beetles can readily find and follow its trail. Their fondness for the 

 liquid makes them indifferent to danger and indeed seems to stupify 

 them and they are easily captured. 



All the species of Carabus found in this vicinity can be readily and 

 plentifully taken in this manner. 



