Early Stages of Coleoptera. 341 



cesses without evidence of segmentation. The wings are 

 overlaid by the anterior and middle legs, and partially overlap 

 the posterior ones. The palpi are directed away from the 

 head, pointing towards the tip of the abdomen, but the anten- 

 nae are directed from the neighborhood of the e3'es to the pos- 

 terior angles of the prothorax under which the club is receiv- 

 ed. Length 10 mm. 



Larv« and pupee were found under stones along the banks 

 of the Wapsipinicon River, at Independence, late in August. 

 The larv£e repair to the under side of a stone and excavate a 

 gallery at the end of which a smooth cell is formed by the 

 squirmings of the insect. In this cell the transformations take 

 place. Larvas which I brought home with me pupated on the 

 6th or 7th of September and the perfect insects appeared on 

 the nth. 



Cryptobium bicolor Grav. Plate IX, Fig. 16. 



Length of pupa, as it rests slightly curved 4.5 mm. Color 

 white, eyes very light brown. The head is flexed upon the 

 thorax, the antennce being tucked in between the knees of the 

 anterior feet and the thorax, curving around again so as to be 

 visible just posterior to the knees of the middle legs when the 

 pupa is viewed ventrally. The most striking character how- 

 ever is found in the extremely long and slender bristles of 

 which the majority project nearly on a plane passing from 

 side to side of the body and keep the pupa always on its 

 back. Three pairs of the abdominal bristles project nearly 

 at right angles to this plane and these seem to be the main 

 factors in producing the rapid motions of which the pupa is 

 capable, the others serving chiefly to hold the body steady. 



One specimen was found under a stone on the banks of the 

 Wapsipinicon River, near Independence, Iowa, Sept. 2nd. It 

 was exceedingly sensitive to the touch, and by means of the 

 wonderful bristles with w'hich it is armed was able to move 

 about in a very lively way. 



The perfect insect was disclosed Sept. 8th. 



