May, 'o6j entomological news. 155 



the head of a small steep-sided ravine, running to the Buffalo 

 bayou near by, the surroundings being a sparse forest, mostly 

 loblolly pine. 



The conditions were essentially those of late October in 

 Illinois. The grass and weeds were dead, as a rule, and the 

 deciduous trees leafless. A few frosts had previously occurred. 

 The weather on the above days was sunny and warm at mid- 

 day, giving a brief collecting period from about 11 A. m. to 

 3 p. m., when a few insects were seen moving about in the 

 sunshine. 



Of the Hymenoptera, two or three parasitic species were 

 noted, and a few Polistes pallipes at Houston. The common 

 stinging ants about College Station, Pogonomyrmex comanche, 

 were seen about their low mounded nests. Occasional Mus- 

 cidse and three or four butterflies were observed. A single 

 species of dragonfly (Sympetrum) and a prettily banded 

 Panoipa were taken several times. Two tiger-beetles and a 

 few Eleodes were found sunning themselves. Among Hem- 

 iptera there were taken a few pentatomids and a large coreid 

 {Acanthocephala dedivis). The only plant-feeder which ap- 

 peared to be definitely at work was a small Clastoptera-\\ke 

 species swept from the fresh green pine leaves. A bovine skull 

 lying on the ground at the Houston locality revealed the 

 openings of several large round burrows beneath it. Upturn- 

 ing the loose soil with a stick, a number of Geotrupes were 

 thrown out. Dermestes and Silpha were noted on animal 

 remains at Galveston. 



Insects under bark, logs, etc., seemed not especially numer- 

 ous. They were mostly of the usual familiar types, though 

 often of unfamiliar species. At Galveston nearly all wood 

 fragments had been swept away, except a line of driftwood 

 near the inner edge of the beach, which was destitute of insect 

 life, and only stone and metal debris remained. These gave 

 some interesting Nabidae and Tenebrionidae, however, and an 

 old pair of pants by a pasture fence proved quite a treasure- 

 house. Lacon rectangtdiis and Opatrinus aciculahis were com-. 

 mon, both here and at College Station. The remaining 

 principal hibernating forms seen were Carabidae, Termcs, 



