30 FAUNA OP MAYFIELD'S CAVE. 



sion 16 were taken from a single piece of beef which had been left 

 under a stone for a few days, and several others escaped. This species 

 has been seen crawling about over the walls and floor of the cave, but is 

 usually found under stones or iiibbish. It is essentially a scavenger. 

 It has been seen feeding at the carcass of a dead mouse, upon a myriapod, 

 and abundantly upon the bait mentioned above. It probably feeds also 

 on decaying vegetable matter. It was more attracted by beef than by 

 other bait. None were taken in daylight or strong twilight, although 

 baits were placed in the light with equal frequency as in the inner 

 parts of the cave. It seems well able to take care of itself during a 

 flood; for a few days after the water receded during the flood of April, 

 1904, it was to be found at the baits lately submerged. A pair was 

 taken copulating in November, 1903, under a stone at "31," where a 

 piece of cheese had been left for some time and about which Sinella 

 cavernarum, Rheochara lucifuga, Conotyla hollmani, and Limosina 

 tenebrarum had congregated in considerable numbers. The larvae and 

 pupae were not observed. 



There is a noticeable variation in size and in the amount of dark 

 color on the head and near the end of the abdomen. The length ranges 

 from 4 mm. to 7 mm. The dark areas on the head and abdomen range 

 from quite dark fuscous to a faint trace of the color. 



Garman (1894, 81) says of this and another species: 



Both have pretty well developed eyes, and may, therefore, live at times in ordinary 

 situations, but they are perfectly at home in the deepest parts of caves, and are 

 at times very abundant there. In all my collecting in ordinary situations I have not 

 seen either species out of doors, and am disposed to consider them true cave dwellers. 



Blatchley (1896, 195) says: 



Mr. Garman is doubtless right, for no beetle is going to crawl into the deepest 

 recesses of caves each day and emerge again at night. So far the species has only 

 been found in caves and, like Quedius spelasus, has probably inhabited them too short 

 a time to entirely lose the eyes. 



My observations entirely agree with Blatchley 's views. I am of the 

 opinion that it is essentially a cave dweller, and if it should be found 

 on the outside, its occurrence there will be altogether accidental. 



Quedius spelseus Horn. 



Horn, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc, 1871, 332; the same, vn, 158. Cope, Rep. Ind. 

 Geol. Surv., iv, 1871, 179 (Wyandotte Cave). Packard, Mem. Nat. Acad. Sci., 

 IV, 1888, 15. WiCKHAM & Blatchley, Rep. Ind. Geol. Surv., xxi, 1896, 196 

 (Wyandotte, Mayfield's, Clifty, Donnehue's, Truett's, and Coon's caves). 



Of the Coleoptera this species is next to Rheochara lucifuga Casey 

 in abundance. It occurs in those parts of the cave least often flooded, 

 and where there are considerable banks of dirt at the side or bottom of 



