— 155- 



may be regarded by some as casting a shadow of doubt on this belief. 

 Having taken i)Ccasion to capture L. /iisca, Yxu\., and L. gibbosa, Bur- 

 meister, in considerable numbers during the last two seasons and having 

 preserved memoranda of numbers taken and dates of capture, I embrace 

 this oppoitunity of putting such memoranda on record. 



In the June issue of "Extomologica Americana" (Vol IV, p. 56,) 

 Mr. J. B. Smith remarks that "observations made by several Entomo- 

 logists indicate that the species [of Lachnosterna\ relieve each other, — 

 i. e. appear successively, though a few will have a long life and overlap. 

 * * * It will be a valuable addition to knowledge if collectors would 

 note dates of first appearance, of greatest abundance and of last capture.'' 

 The memoranda I have made will, in a small way, relieve collectors from 

 this impHed criticism. 



My captures were made at May wood, Cook Co., Illinois, a suburb 

 of Chicago, a place about 12 miles West of Lake Michigan. 1 used a 

 large funnel-shaped trap, made to fit Qjjpund a street lamp. In fair 

 weather the trap was allowed to remain;!jKt all night. It was so con^ 

 structed that any beetle flying against th^^wardly sloping glass sides of 

 the street lamp would inevitably be taken.- 



The following table exhibits the date of capture and the number of 

 Z. fusca and L. gibbosa taken in this trap. 



o 1 887. o — 



It is unfortunate that these observations were not conducted daily 

 for a series of months. But moon-light takes the place of gas-light for 

 a respectable fraction of each month and occasional storms as well as 

 persistent foul weather dampen the ardor of both victim and collector. 

 This table indicates the correctness of the statements of both Dr. Horn 

 and Mr. J. B. Smith. 



The greater abundance of fusca and the overlap of the species are 

 both sufficiently evident. 



Similar collections the present year are shown by the following table. 



o 1888. o 



