KANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 197 
Vy. ZOOLOGY, hie: 
COLLECTING NOTES ON KANSAS COLEOPTERA. 
BY W. KNAUS, M’PHERSON, KAN. 
Read (by title) before the Academy October 28, 1897. 
An experience of eighteen years in collecting coleoptera in Kansas would 
naturally lead to the discovery of several good collecting grounds, and to many 
interesting observations on the abundance or scarcity of certain species for one 
or more years. 
I have found my most interesting and profitable ground on the salt marshes 
or flats of Wilson county in southeastern Kansas, and Republic and Mitchell 
counties in north central Kansas; in the valleys of the Verdigris river in Wilson 
county, of the Republican river in Jewell county, the Smoky Hill river in Wal- 
lace county, and the Arkansas river in Hamilton county; the two latter in ex- 
treme western Kansas. 
I have also collected for years at the electric lights at McPherson. Another 
most interesting and profitable locality is in the sand-hills twenty miles south- 
west of McPherson. In these sand-hills I have taken, during the past eight 
years, Cicindela scutellaris, formosa, and venusta, all beautiful species; 
Stephanucha pilipennis Kraatz, one of the rarest scarabeids; Serica curvata 
Lec.; Canthon nigricornis Say; Ammodonus fossor Lec., and Chalcodermus 
collaris Horn. I took from the electric lights last season for the first time a few 
specimens of Stenomorphus rufipes Lec., a southwestern species, but never re- 
corded as taken in this state. McPherson is probably near its northern limit. 
IT also took at the electric lights, in June of last year, for the first time, four 
specimens of Lachnosterna spreta Lec., the first capture of this species in the 
state. Another rare species taken at the lights was Lachnosterna ulkei Smith: 
but only two or three specimens were captured. Lachnosterna bipartita Horn 
was taken in considerable numbers, both at the lights and in early evening flight. 
Another beetle taken sparingly at the electric lights in May and June was 
Nothopus zabroides Lec.; this place is probably near its southeastern limit. 
Platynus texanus Lec. also occurred sparingly at the lights for the past two 
years. Each year a few of the handsome fetes sticticus Linn. are also taken 
from the electric-light globes. 
One of my most interesting collecting grounds is at the range of sand-hills 
parallel to the Arkansas river in Reno county, and about eight miles north of 
the river. These hills or dunes are blown about by the wind, and in many places 
are excavated by the air currents to a depth of 75 to 150 feet; and the fine white 
sand is piled in huge dunes, usually north of the excavation. Visits to this re- 
gion made in May and June are usually well rewarded. The season of 1896 I 
took Cicindela scutellaris Say and Cicindela formosa Say in numbers, the 
former species being the more abundant. I also took the beautiful Cicindela 
venusta Lec. with the two preceding species, but less abundant. Some seasons 
only a few specimens are taken. 
Beginning with the collecting season of 1891, I have each year taken a few 
specimens—never more than six or eight in a season—of the rare Stephanucha 
pilipennis Kraatz, first described in 1888, from Nebraska. I have taken it only 
