SEASONAL HISTORY. 45 
Items 8 and 9 (wood and clods) sheltered practically all the beetles. 
The last-named item included paraffin roofing, old bottles, pottery, 
etc. The wide diversity of this hst shows that the beetles are not 
very particular about the character of their shelter. 
It is interesting at this time to note that no beetles were taken 
from under charred beets or wood ashes. This point was well illus- 
trated in the corner of one of the fields which proved to be the choicest 
collecting ground. It happened that in this place a large amount 
of rubbish had been burned the previous year, and about haK the old 
beets lying about on the ground were charred. Adults were taken 
in numbers from this corner daily, but not one was ever found under 
the beets which were charred. The same thing was true of the wood 
ashes. 
The numbers of beetles taken from single beets were much larger 
than might have been expected. As has been stated before, as many 
as 243 have been taken from under a single beet, and- on one occa- 
sion 187 were taken from under a single beet top which was less than 
3 inches in diameter. The concave top was entirely filled with the 
beetles, which in some places were piled from 2 to 4 deep. 
Occurrence of Beetles in the Field. 
Up to the middle of March the adults are found close to their 
hibernating quarters, either feeding cr sumiing themselves. At about 
this time, however, there is a general dispersal ( f beetles, and their 
collection becomes a difficult matter. Flight is of common occur- 
rence, as is copulation. The writer watched many beetles which 
were moving about the fields, to see what they were doing, but to 
all appearances they did nothing except wander about. Some were 
watched to see if they would oviposit, but nothing of this kind was 
noted. ^ To judge from their actions in the laboratory cages, these 
adults were moving about preparatory to biUTowing into the soil for 
oviposition. 
Effect of Food in the Field on Dissemination. 
In the latter part of their secondaiy hibernation, and before they 
scatter through the fields, their presence depends very much on two 
factors, namely, food and hibernating quarters. Once they begin 
moving they feed very little, and food seems to have no effect on the 
direction or amount of their movement. 
As this is, economically, the critical point in the life of the adults — 
since where they collect, the eggs will be laid — they were w^atched 
carefuUy to see if there were any factors which governed their dis- 
persal through the fields. The amount of food and the size cf the 
1 Subsequent rearing work in the laboratory proved that this was quite too early for oviposition. 
