198 entomological news. [October, 



mexicanus, Coptotonms interrogatus and Cybister explanatns. I 

 have always thought this Cybister seemed to move more lazily 

 than any of our large northern water-beetles. 



Under ties and other railroad rubbish were to be found some 

 very fine Tenebrionidae, notably Eleodes armata, Asida confluens 

 and Cryptoglossa verrucosa; Notibius puberulus and Euryme- 

 topon rufipes were to be seen occasionally, but not in any num- 

 bers. I had expected to find the family well represented here, 

 but my hopes were unfulfilled, still it is quite likely that more 

 might be taken during the Winter. Sphenophorus vomerinus 

 (var. baridioides) was seen once, a small colony having head- 

 quarters under a log near the river. Atcznius californicus was 

 the only common Scarabaeid, though I came across two or three 

 Orsonyx anxius and a Polyphylla cavifrons. 



The most interesting task was catching the beautiful large 

 click-beetle, Chalcolepidius webbii. This insect reaches a length 

 of nearly an inch and a half, and is bluish with a broad cream- 

 colored border. During the day it reposes on willows, usually 

 too high up among the branches to reach by hand and the trees 

 are too large to admit of the use of the umbrella or beating- net. 

 In consequence it becomes necessary to climb for them, care 

 being taken not to shake the trunk too much or the beetles take 

 alarm and fly — first dropping a short distance — or else fall to the 

 ground, where they are likely to be lost among the weeds. The 

 more pains have to be taken because of the wasps building their 

 nests in these same trees and they do not like intruders. Since 

 few of the trunks are more than four inches or so in diameter it 

 is no play to ascend them in a broiling sun. 



My entomologizing along the river did not attract so much 

 attention from the Indians as might be expected, probably be- 

 cause they have an inclination in that direction themselves. They 

 pursue and catch the larger Acridiidae, presumably for use as 

 fool, since I noticed that they placed them in receptacles as if 

 for preservation. As this catching of locusts was done by adults 

 it can hardly be considered simply a sport. 



A rather remarkable effect of the extreme dryness of the air 

 manifested itself during the preparation of insects after returning 

 from the field. Usually, I empty a bottle of its contents at once 

 and mount, or otherwise treat, the specimens at leisure, but here 

 the hot winds dessicate them so rapidly that only a few could be 

 exposed to the air at a time, otherwise those last handled would 

 become brittle (in only a few minutes) and break at a touch. 



