NORTH AMERICAN GEOTRUPINAE — ^HOWDEN 255 



Although the writer, with P. O. Ritcher, has taken a number of 

 homii at Mills River, N. C, on the fungi Clitocybe gigantea (Fries) 

 Quelet and Russula emetica (Fries) Kummer, they were not noted 

 boring down through the fungi in the manner described by Frost. 



While homii has been found fairly commonly in the northeastern 

 United States, it is generally restricted to the mountains of western 

 North Carolina. An occasional specimen was taken at Raleigh and a 

 single pair was found under fungi at Faison, which is situated in the 

 center of the North Carolina coastal plain. 



From July thi'ough September adults of homii were taken in 

 shallow, sinuous burrows under fungi and human feces. During that 

 time they were also taken in traps of fermenting malt and propionic 

 or butyric acid. However, I was puzzled to find an occasional adult 

 in April and May which was never near any fungi or other source 

 of food. A possible explanation for this apparent change in habits 

 will be discussed later. 



In the fall of 1951, 16 specimens of homii from Mills River were 

 placed with a quantity of fungi and cow dung in a rearing cage at 

 Raleigh. The cage, 5 feet long by 3 feet wide and composed of boards 

 sunk into the ground and covered with a wire screen, was situated on 

 a well drained hillside in a rather open deciduous forest. The par- 

 ticular area was chosen as the conditions there appeared to approxi- 

 mate rather closely those found at Mills River. 



The cage was opened for the first time on Oct. 22, 1951. Numerous 

 burrows were found where the fungi had been placed. Some of these 

 burrows were dug up and in every case, at a depth of 8 to 10 inches, 

 a single adult was found at the bottom of its vertical hole with a small 

 wad of decomposing fungi. None of the burrows contained any dung. 

 Again, on Apr. 7, 1952, the cage was partially dug up. The adults 

 were still ahve, but there was no activity, and no food in evidence at 

 the bottom of the burrows. Fresh cow dung was added and the 

 screen wire replaced. 



In late April and May a few adults were collected in fresh burrows 

 at Raleigh and Mills River, but there was no sign of adult feeding or 

 any indication of any provisioning for larvae. The cage at Raleigh 

 was examined again on June 19, 1952, and, as several of the adults 

 were noted making fresh burrows, the cage was not disturbed. 



Finally, on July 1, 1952, a portion of the cage was dug up, even 

 though some of the adults were still active. Digging was extremely 

 difficult in the packed red clay, which at the time was quite dry. 

 The two burrows, which were carefully investigated, were open for 12 

 and 13 inches, then suddenly came to an end. The clay at the end of 

 the burrow, while having the same consistency and hardness as the 



