WORKING UP THE ENTOMOLOGICAL FAUNA OF 

 NORTH CAROLINA. 



FRANKLIN SHERMAN, JR., AND C. 8. BRIMLEY. 



The authors having" joined in an effort to work up as com- 

 pletely as possible the insect life of the State, it is deemed 

 advisable to present a brief account of the work thus far 

 accomplished. 



Owing to the vast number of species, the extreme difficulty 

 of classification, and the average comparative small size of 

 the subjects, the task of working up the entire entomological 

 fauna of a State is an unending one — we can only hope to 

 make a start, lay the foundations, and erect as much of the 

 final structure as possible. We can never hope to complete 

 the undertaking. By devoting ourselves more or less closely 

 to certain groups we have been able to get the list of species 

 within those groups fairly well represented in our collections 

 and records. When a species is determined positively to 

 occur within the State the name is written on a card and 

 placed in our permanent files, together with a brief note as to 

 the locality or localities where it is known to occur. To keep 

 this record complete, therefore, we must not only record our 

 own captures but must keep a close watch on the literature 

 and record all authentic observations of others who may at 

 one time or another make collections within our limits. 



During 1903 we gave special attention to the Odonata 

 (Dragon-flies) and the Rhopalocera (Butter-flies). Of the 

 Odonata twenty-two species were added to the sixty already 

 known to occur in the State, the most noteworthy addition 

 being probably Telagrion daecki, Calvert, only described for 

 the first time in February, 1903, and which was found by Mr. 

 Brimley to be locally abundant near Raleigh in June. The 



134 [Dec. 



