392 



mosses on the fniuks of the trees, their usual and apparently 

 proper habitat seemed to he on the moss-mats on the branches, 

 for here were to be fdund both larvae and pupae. 



These moss-mats furnish food for a number of lepi(lo])ter- 

 ous larvae, among them Scoparia hncol'ica and Scoparia dac- 

 tyliopa and a new and as yet undescribed species of Mestolohes. 

 Other lepidopterous larvae also shelter themselves in these mats 

 either in intervals of feedino- or for moulting and pupation. 

 It is probal)l(» that these form the major part of the food of 

 these beetles and their larvae. 



Adults showed surprising hardiness upon being brought 

 down into th(^ summer temperatures of the coast region, re- 

 maining alive with but little attention from late July mitil 

 the end of Septendx'r in moss enclosed in a tightly covered 

 tumbler, devouring ant larvae and pupae placed with them. 

 The pupae lironght down, however, were not very successful 

 in completing their transformation. 



Brosconymus optaius is described as lacking prothoracic 

 setae and this is true of a few of the individuals taken, luit 

 the great majority of about a hmidr(Kl taken have a seta on 

 the posterior angles. 



In this connection it is perhaps worth while to record 

 taking several individuals at various times of the closely re- 

 lated Derohrosciiii politus from the ty])e locality on Lanihuli 

 Ridge in the Koolau Mountains and from the parallel ridges 

 bounding the adjacent Kalihi and ISTnuanu valleys. Part of 

 these were taken in small moss-mats and others in small cavi- 

 ties in low dead trees. 



