Januan' 1898] 



PSrCHK. 



1C5 



the northein parts of the district exam- 

 ined. There are, of course, species 

 that can be obtained only in the spring. 



Observations on other orders. To 

 other orders but little attention \v;is 

 paid. The most noticeable in point of 

 numbers were Homoptera and minute 

 Diptera which swarmed at times in 

 thick vegetation and about damp places. 

 Heteroptera and Hymenoptera were 

 occasionally numerous. Several kinds 

 of butterflies, mostly in poor condition, 

 were common in So. Calif., and some- 

 times favorable localities were found 

 where a few species of Odonata were 

 plentiful. Coleoptera were rather 

 scarce, except occasionall}-, when cer- 

 tain species were met with in abun- 

 dance. 



Character of collecting. In Cali- 

 fornia, while the extreme conditions 

 accessible are greater, ranging from 

 sub-tropical deserts to glacier-crowned 

 peaks, and this sometimes within a 

 strikingly short dist;mce, yet, as a rule, 

 the collector finds it necessary to travel 

 about more than in the east. This is 

 because the country is laid out on a 

 broader plan and there is less variety in 

 each square mile than in Massachusetts, 

 for instance, where one may often visit 

 woods, fields, streams, peat-bogs, sand- 

 hills, and rocky ledges in an hour's 

 ramble. In California a similar variety 

 in so small compass can rarely be found. 

 At the time of my visit the conditions 

 over most of the regions examined were 

 those of great aridity, and the larger 

 proportion of the Orthoptera secured 

 belonged to a group partial to such 



conditions, — the Oedipodinae. Except 

 where recently irrigated or within a few 

 feet of running water, the soil, even in 

 the forests, was absolutely dry. When 

 ot adobe it was sun-baked, extremely 

 hard, and rent with cracks penetrating 

 to a depth of several inches or a foot, 

 atlbrding complete safety to insects tak- 

 ing refuge in them unless the collector 

 were armed with pick and shovel. 



The grass was parched and brown 

 and the soil exposed everywhere except 

 along streams and irrigation-ditches and 

 in wet grounds, where a tall, dense 

 growth of grasses and allied plants was 

 found. In consequence grass-loving in- 

 sects were less numerous and much re- 

 stricted in area. Alfalfa-fields, irrigated, 

 and looking most attractively green, 

 were not as remunerative collecting 

 grounds for Orthoptera as would be 

 expected. In desert regions many spe- 

 cies were found on bushes and weeds. 

 The best localities for securing variety 

 of species were those near water, either 

 streams, springs, or artesian wells and 

 tanks ; in such places insects of all orders 

 congregated. 



Precautions. Sunburn of face, neck 

 and hands, which may become very 

 painful and interfere with work, must 

 be guarded against until a coating of 

 tan is acquired. Sunstroke is so rare as 

 to be almost unknown ; and if the head 

 is kept wet and care used not to become 

 overheated by violent eflbrts there is no 

 danger. In the hot regions thirst must 

 be constantly kept in mind in wandering 

 to anv distance from houses, as even a 

 few hours exposure without water may 



