80 BULLETIN 417, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



EARLY RECORDS OF THE SPECIES. 



The writers have been able to find very little published on this 

 important and interesting species. Le Conte described it in 1853, 

 but no note was incorporated in the description as to the location 

 from which it was taken. Prof. L. Bruner, in 1890, noted it with O. 

 externum partly devouring May beetles which were flying to lights in 

 large numbers. Dr. W. D. Hunter of the Bureau of Entomology 

 and his assistants have observed large numbers of these beetles in 

 Texas flying to lights at night during September and October. 



DISTRIBUTION. 



Collection data at hand show that this species occurs rather 

 commonly at various times in Texas and Kansas, for it has been 

 reported from many localities in these States. It has also been 

 taken in Oklahoma, Nebraska, and New Mexico, and it probably 

 exists in other States. 



COLLECTIONS AND SHD7MENTS. 



September 23, 1909, Mr. W. F. Fiske, recently of the Bureau of 

 Entomology, was in San Antonio, Tex., and observed numerous 

 specimens flying about electric lights. He collected eight males 

 and eight females and shipped them to the laboratory, one male and 

 one female being dead on arrival September 29. 



June 19 and July 6, 1910, 15 males and 19 females were received at 

 the laboratory from Prof. C. E. Sanborn, Stillwater, Okla. August 29 

 of the same year 1 female was received from Mr. W. M. Orr, Man- 

 hattan, Kans. 



April 26, November 11, and November 13, 1911, a total of 29 

 males and 47 females was received from Dr. Hunter and Mr. J. D. 

 Mitchell from Dallas and Victoria, Tex. Between April 18 and 30, 

 1912, Mr. Mitchell collected and shipped from the latter point 103 

 males and 71 females. 



The beetles were packed singly in pill boxes which were inclosed 

 in pasteboard or cigar boxes and forwarded by mail. No food was 

 supplied them en route and they arrived in excellent condition. 

 These large collections show that the species is common at times in 

 Texas and Oklahoma. Dr. Hunter on November 1, 1911, wrote 

 Dr. L. O. Howard to the effect that they were seeing at that time an 

 abundance of C. lugubre around arc lights at night and that it would 

 be possible for a man to collect several hundred specimens at electric 

 lights in an hour's time. 



HABITS OF ADULTS. 



Observations were made in 1911 and 1912 on the chmbing habits 

 of the adults, using the apparatus shown in Plate III. Adults were 

 left inside the tin circle and were placed upon the bark of the tree 

 several times between July 29 and August 2, 1911, and they would 

 immediately descend. They proved to be rather clumsy and would 

 fall in most cases before reaching the base of the tree. When the 

 cage was visited the beetles were usually found buried in the earth 

 at the base of the tree. 



