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April, 1915 Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society 39 



black while in the original description it is said to have a large 

 median piceous space. The difference in sex, however, may 

 reasonably account for the difference in color. In his remarks on 

 the species, Dr. Horn says : " It is probable that the color will 

 vary from this unique." In the original description he says " In 

 the unique $ before me the club of the antenna nearly equals the 

 stem." In my specimen the club of the antenna is longer than 

 the stem. 



Cremastochilus nitens is found almost every season during the 

 hottest part of the day flying rarely over the sand dunes but more 

 commonly found early in the morning buried in the sand under 

 sticks or other objects. They are not difficult to capture in the 

 cooler parts of the day but during the warmer parts they must 

 be picked up quickly when they alight on the sand, or a net thrown 

 over them, as they sit quietly only a short time after alighting 

 before they again take flight. 



The strikingly colored Cerambycid, Cyllene decorus is found 

 sparingly the latter part of summer on the golden rod blossoms. 

 As the yellow is so closely matched to that O'f the goldenrod and 

 the body is frequently covered with pollen they are not readily 

 distinguished and frequently escape detection. 



The rank grasses growing over the low places at the bottom of 

 the blow-outs furnish food to various species of Sphenophorus. 

 Among those taken over this region may be mentioned the de- 

 structive species maidis and destructor Chittenden, that feed upon 

 the growing corn, the larvae eating in the center of the plant above 

 the root and frequently dwarfing or killing the plant. So far as 

 I have observed, however, these have not yet occurred in sufficient 

 numbers to damage seriously the growing fields of corn. 



The season of 191 3 was one of the dryest and hottest ever 

 recorded in this state. From the middle of May until well along 

 into September very little rain fell and the temperature frequently 

 went up to 108 or 112 degrees. The bare sand hills became in- 

 tensely hot on the surface to the destruction of all forms of 

 insect life. Collecting that season showed that the insect fauna 

 decreased 50 to 75 per cent. Where in ordinary seasons numerous 

 species of small forms could be uncovered by turning over vege- 



