LIFE HISTORY AND HABITS. 33 
preference to the dry, warmer ones. The habit of feigning death, 
.so marked in the spring when they appear, is totally lacking at this 
time, and about the only way to make them move is to touch them. 
When they are dug up from their pupal cells, or from the ground 
in which they have been hiding, they become active in a short time, 
look for another hiding place, and as soon as they find it draw in 
their legs and antennae and resume hibernation. They are very 
sluggish, move slowly, and do not attempt flight. 
APPEARANCE OF BEETLES IN THE SPRING. 
In the early spring, during a period which covers two months, 
the beetles dig out of their cells, appear at the surface of the ground, 
and become partially active. That the time of this "emergence" 
is governed by several factors is strongly suggested by the diversity 
in the time of appearance. The average mean temperature is prob- 
ably the main factor, but such causes as the kind and porosity of 
the soil in which they have pupated, and the rains, certainly help in 
determining the time of their appearance. This latter point was sug- 
gested by the fact that beetles were always more abundant in the 
fields following a rain than they were directly preceding it. This 
might be explained by the fact that their cells became too wet and 
they had to dig out for safety. 
Just after their appearance in the spring the beetles are very 
sluggish and collect under rubbish of all kinds in the field. They 
still appear to be in a state of semihibernation and none are ever 
noted sunning themselves, feeding, or moving about. When their 
shelters are removed they are found in the same position they main- 
tain during hibernation, with their legs and antennae folded closely 
against their bodies. When the sunUght strikes them they slowly 
become active and search for another hiding place. In every respect 
their condition at this time resembles hibernation, except that they 
more quickly become active. To distinguish between this condi- 
tion and their true hibernation in the soil, the former for want of a 
better word was called ^^ secondary hibernation." This period lasted 
from about the middle of February, or a little earlier, tiU the middle 
of March. It is little more than a transition period betw^een their 
hibernation and their period of activity. During this time the 
weather was quite cold, with cloudiness and showers at intervals. 
BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD OF ACTIVITY. 
The beetles are so slow to show signs of activity and so sluggish 
during the earlier part of their active period that no hard and fast 
line can be drawn between the latter and their so-caUed secondary 
hibernation. Furthermore, under every beet active and inactive 
(5140°— Bull 123—14 3 
