THE METAMORPHOSES OF SOME 

 ALASKA COLEOPTERA 



BY TREVOR KINCAID 



The study of the adult forms of the Coleoptera presents such 

 a vast field and is of such a fascinating character that but scant 

 attention has been paid to the early stages of the members of 

 this order. This is especially true in America, where very 

 little has been published on this subject, and as a result we 

 know but little concerning the structure or peculiar habits of the 

 larvae of our indigenous beetles. In the U. S. National Mu- 

 seum is a large collection of coleopterous larvae, accumulated 

 mainly through the efforts of Mr. E. A. Schwarz, of that insti- 

 tution, but the majority of the species have never been described. 



An opinion is prevalent that it is extremely difficult to rear 

 the larva? of beetles, but the writer believes this supposition to 

 be exaggerated. It is certainly difficult to rear them from the 

 egg or very young stages, but if specimens be taken when 

 nearly full grown and carefully tended they may be bred with- 

 out excessive mortality. 



[367] ( l8 9) 



