181 



These small beetles are black except the basal two-thirds of the 

 elytra, which are pale yellow. The larvae are parasitic on wasps, as 

 has been shown by Chapman for the European species paradoxus 

 (Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Ser. 4, Vol. 5, p. 191, and Vol. 6, p. 314. 

 1870). The larvae undergo a very peculiar metamorphosis which is 

 related to their parasitic habit. It is desirable that the life histories 

 of the American species should be studied. 



Ashmead (Psyche, Vol. 7, p. ';'^. 1894) reared this beetle from 

 the cells of the wasp Bumenes fraterna Say. Riley ( Sixth Rep. Ins. 

 Mo., p. 125. 1874) states that he bred Rhipiphorus pectiiiatus Fabr., 

 var. V entrails Fabr., from the cocoons of the wasp (Tiphia) which 

 preys upon the grubs of Lachnosterna. Melander and Brues ('03, 

 p. 26) found another member of the same family of beetles, Myo- 

 dites fasciatus Say, on wing over nests of Halictus. Pierce ('04) 

 has made a valuable study of the ecology of Myodites solidaginis, 

 giving particular attention tO' its host, a bee (Bpinomia triangulifera 

 Vachal). Pierce (I.e., p. 185) states that the tiger-beetle Cicindela 

 pimctulata Fabr. is an active enemy of Bpinomia and Myodites. I 

 liave found this a very abundant beetle in open sunny places on bare 

 ground, as, for example, along a footpath through a timothy meadow 

 at Bloomington, 111. Such situations are the favorite haunts of many 

 burrowing Hymenoptera. 



Rhipiphorus limhatus Fabr. 



A single specimen was taken on the flower of the rattlesnake- 

 master, Bryngium yuccifolium, on the Loxa prairie ( Sta. II, a) Aug. 

 27 (No. 178). This species is yellow, with black elytra, and a large 

 black spot on the dorsum of the prothorax. Blatchley ('10, p. 1367) 

 reports it from various composites. Robertson (Trans. St. Louis 

 Acad. Sci., Vol. 6, pp, 106, 107. 1892) reports this beetle from Car- 

 linville. 111., on the flowers of several species of Pycnanthemum, and 

 (idem. Vol. 5, p. 571 ) he also records it from milkweeds (Asclepias). 



EHYNCHITID.a! 



Rhynchites ceneus Boh. 



This snout-beetle was taken on the prairie west of Loxa from 

 flowers of the rosin- weed, Silphium integrifolium (Sta. II), Aug. 

 13 (No. 48). It has been taken from other flowers (Pierce, '07, p. 

 251). 



CALANDKIDiE 



Sphenophorus venatus Say (placidus Say). (PI. XLV, fig. 4.) 



This "bill-bug" was taken from the colony of tall blue-stem An- 

 dropogon and foxtail, Panicum (Sta. l,g), Aug. 12 (No. 39). 



