12 



CALOSOMA SYCOPHAXTA. 



During the different years tins species has been received in greater 

 or less numbers from March to September. The bulk of the shipments 

 usually arrives between June 15 and July 15. 



Little difference can be noted in the mortality during this period. 

 When apparent advantage is shown for any particular time of ship- 

 ment, it is probably due to other causes, such as good packing, rapid 

 transit, or to the fact that the packages were placed in favorable situa- 

 tions on the boats or trains. A record has been kept since 1907 of the 

 mortality of the sexes during shipment, but from this data it appears 

 that the difference is very slight, as practically the same percentage 

 of males and females dies during the season. Nine per cent mortality 

 is as low as can be expected, as some of the shipments are always 

 delayed in delivery, and a certain number of the beetles, especially 



Fig. 5.— Wooden boxes from Japan, showing method of packing Caiosoma beetles for shipment. 



(Original.) 



when they are collected in midsummer, would die if allowed to remain 

 in their native home. 



The average length of time in transit in 1906 was 10 days, but in a 

 few cases 12 to 14 days elapsed. These figures represent a fair aver- 

 age of the length of time required to ship material from France, 

 Switzerland, or Italy. These beetles can be shipped in a satisfactory 

 manner hi cold storage, and this method has been used for Japanese 

 shipments. They were packed separately in wooden boxes (fig. 5) 

 with moist sphagnum moss, and 40 or 50 of these were inclosed 

 in larger wooden boxes, which were placed in the cold room on the 

 boat. On arrival at Vancouver they were forwarded by express and 

 were kept iced until they reached the laboratory. 



From this experience it appears that these beetles can be shipped 

 satisfactorily by mail if they are property packed and are not on the 

 road more than two weeks. The moss hi the boxes must be moist; 

 otherwise the percentage of mortality will be large. 



