6 Cincinnati Society of Natural History. 



Approaching one of these Barrel Cactus or "Bisnagas," 

 in a half-decayed condition, one can not see any insect life 

 from the outside, but cut or break it open and the interior 

 will be swarming with insects, mostly beetles, of many 

 species. This is the cactus that is used by travellers from 

 which to obtain water, when caught in these deserts without 

 any. The flavor of the sap is not very pleasant, but is suf- 

 ficient to supply enough moisture to sustain life in an emer- 

 gency. Under suitable stones or other cover were clusters 

 of Discoderus that were greenish when fresh, but in drying 

 this color faded out in most of the specimens. Color has 

 been made use of as a specific character in this genus in some 

 descriptions, but it is of no value. Specimens of Neo- 

 brotica pleuristicta were beaten from a bush that bore green 

 pods, containing red beans which are said to be fatal to 

 horses if they eat them. I was unable to learn the name of 

 this plant. The Honey Pod Mesquite Prosopis velutina, 

 and Cat's Claw, Acacia greggi, when beaten into an umbrella, 

 yielded many species, Tyndaris and other Buprestidae with 

 Longicorns and Chrysomelidae. Ji^ly 15. 



I noticed a mesquite tree almost defoliated by Epicauta 

 pardalis. A few strokes on the limbs brought down a pint 

 of these beetles into the umbrella. Only certain trees seem 

 to be attacked by them. They go in swarms and, after 

 eating up one tree, move to another. At light, at night 

 many good species were taken. Psendomorpha ran over 

 my paper with lightninglike speed. Listrochelus and Phy- 

 talus occurred, though not abundantly, but Lachnosterna, 

 Diplotaxis and Anomala were. Two species of Aneflus were 

 common, as was Mallodon, and other smaller longicorns. 

 On the flower heads of Daslerion wheeleri swarms of Lycos- 

 tomus loripcs congregated, and the active, bright-colored 

 Clerus spinolae was frequent. On the side of one of these 

 flower heads, I took a large Mantis, purple and green in 

 color. It had three purple blotches on each wing cover. 

 It was chewing a bumblebee, and was the only one I saw of 

 the species. The tribe of grasshoppers were abundant. 



