IQOO] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 499 



The Capture of Platynus caudatus Lee, and Platy- 

 nus larvalis Lee, in Western Pennsylvania. 



By George A. Ehrman, Pittsburg, Pa. 



Dr. LeConte, in his Descriptions of New Species of North 

 American Coleoptera, Pt. i, pubHshed by the Smithsonian 

 Institute, 1866, on page 7, describes Platynus caudatus, and he 

 gives Western States as the habitat of this odd and rare beetle. 

 Now what I would understand by this record would be 

 that large expanse west of the Mississippi River. Or, if the 

 student of geography wishes to restrict the area, those States 

 west of the Rocky Mountains or great divide ; but, be it what 

 it will, I will leave it for the reader to decide, and if Dr. 

 Leconte is correct in the habitat of this species it certainly has 

 a wide area of distribution. 



In referring to the late Dr. John Hamilton's catalogue of the 

 Coleoptera of Southwestern Pennsylvania, page 350, the Doctor 

 says: "One example, Jeannette, Pa.;" and again on. page 

 379 of the same work he gives it in these words : ' ' One 

 fine example of this rare species, etc., taken by Mr. H. 

 Klages near Pittsburg. ' ' In these two passages the Doctor is 

 mistaken, as I captured this .specimen in one of my favorite 

 collecting grounds — Bird's Hollow, near Pittsburg. In refer- 

 ing to my note book of 1891 I find the following entry : 



''Platynus sp? Taken in a moist stony depression on the 

 east side of Bird's Hollow. The specimen seems to be imma- 

 ture, as it is very pale in color 'and the least touch dents the 

 elytra. The species is very active, more so than any other 

 species that I have met with in life. ' ' 



Furthermore, I brought the specimen home alive and kept 

 it in captivity for four days, thinking that by age it would 

 become darker and harder. In this supposition I was mistaken. 

 I then put it in my cyanide jar, after which it was properly 

 mounted with locality and date afl&xed. Not long after, I had 

 an occasion to go to Allegheny and called to see Dr. Hamilton. 

 I brought my doubtful Platynus with me and asked the Doc- 

 tor for an explanation about the peculiarity of my odd Platynus. 

 In looking it up the Doctor found that the species was lack- 



