144 



Psyche 



[October 



boscis against it for a short while as if to drink, then running over 

 it and going again on the plate. Attempting to escape, it was 

 repeatedly driven back by the approaching hand. I noticed that 

 my hands were rather warm. In fact, it did not stop when ap- 

 proached by my wife's hand which was cooler, and on which the 

 insect would continue to run. 



The specimen was kept alive and a cage constructed which 

 permitted its observation. The cage consisted of a glass tray, 



f Qj>en door (cold) 



• Inner Side 



* of P/a-zTca. (t^arm). 



Fig. 1. Observation cage used in experiments with Chionea: a, general view 

 of cage; b, same seen from above; #, habitual resting place of Chionea. 



about one and one-half feet long, covered entirely with two glass 

 covers, which could be replaced, wholly or in part, by wire-netting. 

 After some experimenting, it was preferred to cover the whole 

 with wire-netting, and in addition to this, to cover the short sides 

 of the tray with the two pieces of glass, leaving an open space in 

 the middle, covered only by wire-netting, as seen in the figures. 

 The tray was, at first, half filled with sifted earth and half with 

 snow in order to ascertain whether the insect would show a pref- 

 erence for one of these. It seemed equally at home on both and 

 observations tended to show that Chionea is a true snow-insect, 

 not a mere accidental one, as has been supposed by Emerton (see 

 Johnson, Psyche, 1912, p. 102), and as all the other insects quoted 

 above undoubtedly are. 

 The Chionea was placed on the border-line between snow and 



