418 General Notes. [Apt 
Carabidz and Coccinellide,” in Bulletin No. 6, Illinois State 
Laboratory of Natural History, Jan., 1883. He correctly remarks 
that “ observations of the food of these beetles have hitherto been 
left almost wholly to chance, and have nowhere been systemati- 
cally pursued—from which it has resulted that we know their 
habits only in the most conspicuous situations, and have nota 
fair idea of the general average of their food.” ‘ 
uch systematic observations based on microscopic examina- 
tions of the contents of the alimentary canal, have been pursued 
by Professor Forbes since 1880, and we have already alluded to 
some of the results (see American NATURALIST for April, 1881, 
pp. 325-326). This latest contribution contains interesting, sug- 
gestive and carefully arranged facts, and we have room only t0 
indicate the chief results. | 
As to the Coccinellidz, of which thirty-nine specimens Wet 
dissected, representing four genera and seven species, the results 
show that considering the different conditions under which the i 
specimens were obtained, the food seems to be remarkably simple : 
and uniform. It varies but little in the different genera, and OF 
sists almost wholly of spores of lower cryptogams, pollen e 
and plant-lice, Treating the thirty-nine specimens as a whole, : 
was found that their food was thirty-seven per cent. ani “ n 
* per cent. of which consists of insects) and sixty-three per i 
vegetable (fourteen per cent. of this consisting of pollen of a 
and Compositæ, four per cent. of spores of lichens, and not 
than forty-five per cent. of spores of fungi). ‘ the 
- Professor Forbes concludes “that the data derived se 
thirty-nine specimens here discussed, will be found sufficient ; 
correct general food of the family under ordinary circumstance 
The similarity in structure of the mouth-parts throughout T 
whole family, seems to be a proof of this generalization. A The 
The food question in the Carabidæ is more complicate adi 
general table shows that the food of Calosoma, a mpost 
2 
are long and curved, and are destitute of basal molar Pse with p 
are provided at or near the middle of the cutting © pa substa 
cesses relatively long and sharp, the beetle seems to °°" oe 
_ 1 Amphasia, which has the lowest percentage of animal food, viz.» kadi a . 
is now included in Anisodactylus, 3 
