\- 



1919] King: Biology of the Carabid 383 



Chlaenius impunctifrons Say were reared from the egg cells in 

 question. After this other habitats were studied and by careful 

 rearing of all the eggs found and obtaining eggs from beetles 

 in captivity, it was also proven that Chlaenius cericeiis Forst., 

 Chlaenius tricolor Dej. and Brachynus cyanipennis Say. also 

 deposit their eggs in mud or clay cells constructed by the female 

 beetle. 



The form, size and structure of the mud cells of these 

 beetles seems to be distinct in each species and this, together 

 with decided variation in the immediate location or placement 

 of the cells, renders specific identification possible for most of 

 the species studied with the exception of Brachynus. 



The Mud Cells of Brachynus. 



The mud cells of Brachynus cyanipennis Say (Plate XXX, 

 Figs. 1 and 2) are somewhat crescentic or triangular in outline, 

 rough in surface and measure about 2.25 mm. in length, that is, 

 the longest axis. The cells of these beetles are commonly 

 placed on the undersurface of loosely set stones, on dead twigs 

 and plant stems; they may be placed singly or in groups of 

 three to ten in number. In captivity the cells were sometimes 

 constructed massed one upon the other in clusters of eighteen 

 to twenty-five. 



The Mud Cells of Galerita. 



The mud cells of Galerita bicolor (Plate XXX, Fig. 3) are 

 roughly triangular in outline or purse shaped and finely granular 

 in surface. They are 5 mm. in length and 3.5 to 4 mm. in 

 width. The cells of this species are placed singly on the under 

 surface of smooth leaves. Benzoin and Impatiens being most 

 frequented by the beetles in the habitat studied. 



The Mud Cells of Chlaenius. 



With Chlaenius impunctifrons, the species studied by Riley 

 and Claassen, the mud cells (Plate XXX, Fig. 4) are almost 

 always smoothly convex and oblong in outline, measuring about 

 3.5 mm. in length and 2.28 mm. in width. In the habitats 

 studied it was noted that about ninety per cent of the cells of 

 this species occur on living plants, the under surface of smooth 

 leaves being most often selected by the beetles. The distance 



